Jason McGuffey

Friends, Family Rely On Faith After Tragic Murder-Suicide

POSTED: 8:09 am EST November 4, 2005

INDIANAPOLIS -- The crime was deeply personal for one family, but now a community is coping with a tragedy that ended in death for a 4-year-old boy and his father.Police said Edward McGuffey killed his son, Jason, before turning the gun on himself Wednesday night.

It was a crime that was completely unexpected for a normally quiet Geist-area community. Now, friends and family are relying on their faith to deal with an unthinkable tragedy.Church leaders said Jason McGuffey was a beautiful child with a great spirit, RTV6's Tanya Spencer reported. He attended Sunday School at East 91st Street Christian Church every week.

Balloons, flowers and other tokens of remembrance were placed outside the home on Beam Ridge Drive Thursday night. Friends and family wanted everyone to know that the two people who died in the home will be missed.Police said McGuffey sent dozens of e-mails Wednesday night, telling recipients that he had killed his son and was about to kill himself.

Neighbors said that although they knew McGuffey and his wife had recently separated, they never expected what happened. At the church the McGuffey family attended, people were completely shocked to learn of the murder-suicide."The people who we talked to in our congregation had absolutely no idea that any of this was on his mind," said Derek Duncan, senior pastor. "We feel a real burden that we wish we could have done more. But ... if you don't know what the need is, you can't meet that need.

"The church is offering counseling for surviving family members and those who knew the victims. Duncan said their only comfort is knowing the next life is peaceful." Jason is with Him and he's not afraid. He's not suffering and he's going to be OK," Duncan said. "Anybody that knows him just really loved him."

The funeral for Edward McGuffey is Saturday at 1 p.m. at Randall and Roberts Fishers Mortuary.Services for Jason McGuffey is Saturday at 11 a.m. at East 91st Street Christian Church.

Previous Stories:

• November 3, 2005: Murder-Suicide Shocks Community
• November 3, 2005: Man Kills Son, Self After E-mailing His Intentions