Man spent hours at bar before he and 4 others found dead in Polk Co. home
PORTER, Texas (KTRK) -- Bartenders at the Players bar in Porter claim 54-year-old Randy Horn spent nearly 10 hours in their establishment the day before the shooting that ended his life and four others.
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"To the bartenders, he was quiet more than usual, but I think they just thought that was more of he didn't drink as much as he usually does," said a staff member who declined to be identified.
Horn, his 27-year-old wife Ashley, their 15-month-old daughter, and Ashley's grandparents were all found shot to death inside a Polk County home. Capt. Rickie Childers, of Polk Co. Sheriff's Office, confirmed to ABC13 Eyewitness News that a neighbor discovered the bodies while checking on the family and called her son, who then called law enforcement around 10:30 a.m. Monday.
As word began to spread, staff at Players said they were stunned to learn of the horrific details.
"Complete shock. Our bartenders could not believe what had happened. He was a very outgoing guy, and (he had) tons of friends and knew everybody," a staff member said. "And I think everybody that knew him around here was completely shocked."
Horn was described as a regular at the bar who was typically very friendly.
According to staff, Horn was inside the bar from 1:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. Sunday and had three alcoholic beverages. Horn left the bar for two hours and came back at midnight, when he had a fourth drink and left 45 minutes after that.
Investigators say the sole survivor of the shooting - a woman identified as the mother of Ashley Horn - said she heard commotion inside the home around 5:30 a.m. Monday.
It's still unclear what the motive was behind the shooting and who pulled the trigger. Staff at the bar say Horn was well-known in the area for playing poker and darts. He also, at one time, owned a boxing gym in Porter.
Autopsies are being conducted on all five of the deceased family members, and the sheriff's office says no further updates will be provided until those reports are complete.
