The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that 44-year-old Kenneth Oliver Smith Jr. was responsible for the devastating murder-suicide that claimed the lives of his wife and two children in Daphne, Alabama. Investigators say both forensic and circumstantial evidence point to Smith as the shooter.

The victims have been identified as 41-year-old Larrica Gaines Smith, 15-year-old Khristian Smith, and 11-year-old Kinsley Smith. The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of Thursday, August 14, 2025, on Sable Court, where the family had lived for more than two decades.

Neighbors describe the Smiths as long-time residents and active members of their community, with children who grew up playing together and families who worshipped at the same church. “It’s just a very, very tragic feeling. To say I’m in shock, yes, I’m still in shock,” said neighbor Matt Russell.

Deputies believe a single handgun recovered inside the home was used in all the shootings. According to those who knew the family, there were no visible signs of trouble leading up to the incident. Baldwin County Sheriff Anthony Lowery called the case “as tragic as it comes,” adding that while investigators will work to piece together every possible detail, they may never fully understand why this happened.

“We may never get all of the answers because there won’t be a suspect to interview,” Lowery said. “We’ll have to use forensic techniques and talk to friends, family, and coworkers to learn as much as we can.”

Neighbors are devastated, struggling to reconcile the image of a seemingly happy family—one that had just celebrated a wedding anniversary two weeks ago—with such a horrific outcome. “Just good people,” said neighbor Shannon Brannon. “I just…don’t understand how this could happen.”

Sheriff’s investigators are interviewing everyone connected to the family, including the relative who called authorities around 3:30 a.m. requesting a welfare check. The tragedy has not only shaken the neighborhood but also impacted the children’s friends, schoolmates, and the wider community, who are now left grieving and searching for answers.

As the investigation continues, residents of Sable Court are leaning on one another for comfort, united in heartbreak over the loss of a family they all knew and loved.