St. Louis-area mom, 2 children killed; baby taken, but safe
ST. LOUIS >> A St. Louis-area man fatally shot his estranged wife and two of her children before fleeing with the couple’s baby, who was later found safe, and then killed himself hours later today as officers closed in on him, authorities said.
The killings happened late Thursday in north St. Louis County, said St. Louis County police spokeswoman Tracy Panus. Police today identified the victims as Roseann McCulley, 34, her 13-year-old son Kayden Johnson and her 6-year-old daughter Kaylee Brooks.
Officers responding to a report of a shooting found all three victims had been shot. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police also learned that a 1-year-old girl had been taken — the daughter of Roseann McCulley and the suspected shooter, 35-year-old Bobby McCulley III. The two children killed were not McCulley’s biological children, police said.
Court records show Bobby McCulley III filed for divorce on Feb. 28.
McCulley entered the home with a weapon Thursday night and confined the family for several hours before killing them, police said.
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An Amber Alert was issued, and the baby was found safe with relatives just before 5 a.m. today.
Meanwhile, police launched a manhunt for the gunman. Police said officers were closing in on McCulley when he fatally shot himself.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol tweeted that the 1-year-old was taken to a hospital to be checked by doctors as a precaution.