Police: Wash. man shot wife, daughter - then went for fast food
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SPANAWAY, Wash. -- Investigators say a man shot his wife at their Spanaway home Tuesday night, then took his 11-year-old daughter out for a drive before fatally shooting her in the car. He then stopped for a bite to eat before returning home and attempting to cover up evidence, police said.
Police were notified of the deaths when the man later walked into the Pierce County Jail early Wednesday and said he fatally shot his wife and child. Pierce County Sheriff's Captain Ed Smith said deputies went to a home in the 15500 block of 20th Ave. Court East and found the bodies just before 5 a.m.
"They did see through the window what appeared to be a person in the bed. The person was non-responsive," said Smith. "They went ahead and forced entry into the home, and found two deceased persons in the master bedroom bed."
The suspect has been identified as 40-year-old Dean R. Holmes, and the victims are his 41-year-old wife, Kristi Holmes, and 11-year-old daughter, Violet Holmes, police said.
Detectives say Dean Holmes told them he shot his wife while she slept Tuesday night, then woke Violet and a friend of hers who had slept over that night. Holmes took both kids in his car, dropped the friend of at her Auburn home, then drove around with Violet in the car, Smith said.
After a while, he pulled over along a Spanaway road and shot his daughter in the car, Smith said. Dean Holmes then drove to a fast food restaurant, bought a meal, and returned home and put Violet's body in bed with his wife's, detectives said.
After several hours of attempting to clean his home and car, Dean Holmes turned himself in, Smith said.
Detectives said further investigation revealed Dean Holmes owned a home painting business had been hiding financial issues form his wife, including lying about a home they were supposed to be moving in to. Financial records with the Department of Revenue show Dean Holmes owed more than $18,000 in unpaid taxes. He was also being sued by the owners of a home in Puyallup for unfinished work.
Another client, Connie Miller, says she paid Holmes to paint her shed, then asked for a refund when the job never got done.
"And he just kept coming up with excuses," said Connie Miller. "So I called him up and I asked him, 'Dean, if you're not going to paint the shed, can I please get my money back?' "
She added if she had known he was that desperate for money, he'd have never asked him for the money.
"I would have just gave him the whole $250," she said.
Dean Holmes has been booked into jail for investigation of two counts of first-degree murder and is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.
Police were notified of the deaths when the man later walked into the Pierce County Jail early Wednesday and said he fatally shot his wife and child. Pierce County Sheriff's Captain Ed Smith said deputies went to a home in the 15500 block of 20th Ave. Court East and found the bodies just before 5 a.m.
"They did see through the window what appeared to be a person in the bed. The person was non-responsive," said Smith. "They went ahead and forced entry into the home, and found two deceased persons in the master bedroom bed."
The suspect has been identified as 40-year-old Dean R. Holmes, and the victims are his 41-year-old wife, Kristi Holmes, and 11-year-old daughter, Violet Holmes, police said.
Detectives say Dean Holmes told them he shot his wife while she slept Tuesday night, then woke Violet and a friend of hers who had slept over that night. Holmes took both kids in his car, dropped the friend of at her Auburn home, then drove around with Violet in the car, Smith said.
After a while, he pulled over along a Spanaway road and shot his daughter in the car, Smith said. Dean Holmes then drove to a fast food restaurant, bought a meal, and returned home and put Violet's body in bed with his wife's, detectives said.
After several hours of attempting to clean his home and car, Dean Holmes turned himself in, Smith said.
Detectives said further investigation revealed Dean Holmes owned a home painting business had been hiding financial issues form his wife, including lying about a home they were supposed to be moving in to. Financial records with the Department of Revenue show Dean Holmes owed more than $18,000 in unpaid taxes. He was also being sued by the owners of a home in Puyallup for unfinished work.
Another client, Connie Miller, says she paid Holmes to paint her shed, then asked for a refund when the job never got done.
"And he just kept coming up with excuses," said Connie Miller. "So I called him up and I asked him, 'Dean, if you're not going to paint the shed, can I please get my money back?' "
She added if she had known he was that desperate for money, he'd have never asked him for the money.
"I would have just gave him the whole $250," she said.
Dean Holmes has been booked into jail for investigation of two counts of first-degree murder and is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.
This is not a gun issue. This is a mental illness due to lack of financial stability and the belief that his family would look down on him for the financial issue at hand. The gun did not shoot anyone without a person that in this case was obviously not in the right mind state. If we take guns away due to people misuse of them what will be next kitchen knifes, axes, hatches, there is no end guns do not kill people there tools. Guns do not go on rampages people do. where does this end people believing if we get rid of the weapon the violence will go away before we know it we will have no rights or weapons and be heards of sheep.
@flyguy  Couldn't agree more! It's not the weapon it's the person using it. How many people are killed each day by drunk drivers. People are not trying to take away our cars or alcohol. People are violent creatures, sad but true. It is about our rights to bear arms, plan and simple. I choose to be able to protect myself and my family.
Barrack Obama killed another family.
This is tragic. However, this is not a "gun" issue. Most "gun owners" ARE law adiding citizens. People who do these terrible things are sick. If it wasn't with a gun, it would be by another mean. I, like others, have the right to own a gun in this country. I get really upset when people take tragic situations and try to turn it into a gun issue. People kill people, guns do not. My thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends of Homes family.
 @Sam Correction: People *with guns* kill people. And yes, sometimes murders are committed with other weapons, but those other weapons are FAR less likely to be lethal.
How is a knife or car less lethal?
Disgusting. Â Another "law abiding gun owner" goes nuts and kills his family. Â Happens every week in the U.S. Â It's time to do something about this.Â
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A related article with more details: Â http://lakewood.patch.com/articles/spanaway-man-allegedly-kills-wife-child-in-early-morning-shooting#comment_4539974
@Baldr Odinson The international population is still growing, we are not in any danger of running out of people.
@Baldr Odinson   People kill people, not guns!
 @Sam  @Baldr Correction: People kill people, *with* guns!
My suggestion is that we make all the crazies read your posts.
Sad, Sad story. Too bad there is not more information on what goes on in the mind of these kind of people. I might be able to understand if he became so desperate that he took his own life, but his wife and child, just terrible.
Why? Why can't you people just take yourselves out when the psychosis takes over?
I have decided that they think it is the fault of their victims for all of their problems.....and it will get better with them out of the picture....it is the only reasonable synopsis I can come up with.
 @Somanyfools While I am not condoning this man's actions whatsoever, what he did was inexcusable, it may NOT have been that he blamed others for his troubles. Unfortunately in this economy there are businesses that are failing. That tears at the very core of individuals, especially some men who have been taught by society that a man's worth is completely tied up in his economic success. The fact that he was hiding the economic situation from his wife shows that he was unwilling to share his perceived failures with her. It shows he did not want to risk being devalued in his family's eyes. It is true, I do not know the particulars in this case, I am an outsider just reading the news. It is apparent that he didn't want to harm the daughter's friend. This shows he did not blame everyone for his own issues and that he was not jealous of the perceived success of others. I think we can all agree that this is a terrible tragedy, and that it should not have happened. What I think people should take as a lesson from this sad situation is that one's financial situation often has no ties to a person's self worth. Our actions and how we treat others is the true mark of a good character.Â
@ethicsmatter @Somanyfools A very good post..TY.