A mother and her two young children were gunned down in the street, while the father, initially detained nearby, has vanished after being released due to lack of evidence.
Details of the Incident
Hailey Dempsey, 28, ran half a mile with her daughter, 4, and four-month-old baby after fleeing her house, following the fatal shooting of her mother, Valerie Deboe, 55. Residents on West Tever Street in Plant City, near Tampa, heard gunshots around 7 a.m. on Sunday and discovered the family in the bushes next door. Hailey was still alive when paramedics arrived but died in hospital. A third child was rescued unharmed at the scene, police said.
Discovery of Grandmother's Body
Plant City Police later raided the family home on North Burton Street and found the body of Deboe, who had suffered a single gunshot wound. Hailey's husband, Jay Dempsey, 27, was detained nearby, and his arrest was photographed by residents. However, neighbors reported he was released due to lack of evidence. Police confirmed no one was in custody in relation to the murders.
Neighbor's Account
Neighbor John Czarniak, who lives next to the family's house where Deboe was found, said the Dempseys had a heated argument on Friday. Hailey called police, who arrived but left soon after. On Saturday night, Czarniak saw Dempsey putting on a bulletproof vest and loading a large duffel bag into his car. After Dempsey was released from custody, he left town and deleted his social media pages. 'He came walking out of the woods at 3 a.m. (on Monday), got in his dead wife's car and drove off,' Czarniak said.
Victim's Background
Hailey was mourned by friends who described her as a great mother. She and Dempsey had recently been discussing their daughter's birthday party. Dempsey is an avid shooter, with numerous photos of him firing guns and posing with rifles on his now-deleted Facebook page. He was one half of the local company 2 College Brother Moving & Storage and heavily involved in F3 Nation, a network of free, peer-led workouts for men.
Police Investigation
Police are calling for anyone with surveillance or doorbell camera footage of North Burton Street, West Tever Street, or the surrounding area between 5:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Sunday to contact them. 'The Plant City Police Department knows of no credible threats that lead to a belief that there is a threat to the public at this time,' police said. 'The investigation is very active, searching for leads and clues that allow for forward progress and proper resolution in this case.'
