Sheats daughter slayings: Dad says wife wanted him to suffer
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The motive was revenge.
The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office says Christy Sheats killed her two daughters Friday in an apparent effort to hurt her husband. Jason Sheats told authorities his wife wanted him to suffer. Taylor and Madison Sheats were shot to death during a family meeting called by their mother, according to authorities.
"Mr. Sheats stated that Christy knew how much he loved Taylor and Madison and how much they loved him. By killing his children, Mr. Sheats will have to live the rest of his life with this horrible memory," said Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls.
Nehls and detectives interviewed Jason Sheats on Tuesday for the first time since the murders. Sheats told them his wife had been struggling with depression and that she had attempted suicide with pills three times since 2012. Each time, he said, she received treatment for several days at an in-patient mental health care facility. She was prescribed medications for her depression. It's unclear if she was taking them at the time of the murders.
LISTEN: Full 911 call from neighbor/witness of the shooting
Prior to the family meeting, Jason Sheats later told investigators that he thought his wife was going to explain to their daughters that she was filing for divorce. He also told detectives that Christy was upset following an argument with her oldest daughter Taylor. Christy tried to ground the 22-year-old to keep her from seeing the fiance she was to wed in just days. Jason Sheets said he told Christy she couldn't ground a grown woman.
"He felt that she wanted him to suffer at which time she pointed the gun at the oldest daughter and then shot the older daughter," said Sheriff Nehls.
Detectives say Taylor Sheats was hit three times by gunfire, including once in the head. Her younger sister Madison was shot a single time.
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Investigators say Christy had ample opportunity to shoot and kill her husband but simply did not. At one point she applied for a license to carry a gun, but that application was denied. Investigators are working to gather more information about the application. Christy inherited the gun from her grandfather when he died. Jason Sheats said Christy spiraled into depression following his death.
Funeral services for the girls will be held at an undisclosed location Thursday. Their bodies will be taken to Alabama for burial.
The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office says this will be the last day the sheriff will comment on this case.
