Lakeland Murder-Suicide Highlights Deadly Mix of Alcohol, Domestic Violence, and Crisis Failures

By Michael Phillips | FLBayNews / Father & Co.

A devastating murder-suicide in Lakeland, Florida, just days before Christmas has renewed urgent questions about domestic violence, substance abuse, and the warning signs that too often go unaddressed until it is too late.

According to authorities and multiple media reports, 47-year-old Jason Kenney fatally shot his wife, Crystal Kenney, 38, and critically wounded her 13-year-old daughter on the night of December 22 in the Highland City area of Polk County. He later fled the scene and died by suicide after barricading himself in a shed at his late father’s property in nearby Lake Wales.

Argument Turned Deadly

Investigators say Kenney had been drinking alcohol while watching Monday Night Football in a shed behind the family home. Around 11 p.m., he entered the house to continue watching the game on the living room television. When Crystal suggested changing the channel, an argument erupted.

Fearing violence, Crystal told her 12-year-old son to run to a neighbor’s house and call 911. As the boy fled, he heard a gunshot.

Deputies arriving at the home found Crystal dead from a single gunshot wound to the head. Her 13-year-old daughter was discovered in a bedroom, shot twice—once in the shoulder and once in the face. Despite her injuries, the girl was conscious and told investigators, “I begged him, don’t shoot me… and he shot me anyway.”

The couple’s 1-year-old daughter was found unharmed, asleep in her crib.

A “Christmas Miracle” Amid Tragedy

The injured teenager remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition and is expected to survive. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd described her survival as a “Christmas miracle,” underscoring the randomness of life and death in moments of extreme violence.

After leaving the scene, Kenney called his sister in upstate New York, telling her he had “done something very, very bad,” that she would see it on the news, and that he was not going to jail. Deputies later tracked him to Lake Wales, where they heard a single gunshot as they attempted to negotiate his surrender. He died from a self-inflicted wound.

Warning Signs Without a Paper Trail

Authorities found an undated handwritten note from Crystal inside the home that referenced Kenney’s drinking and cocaine use and urged him to seek God. Family members told investigators that Kenney had a history of abusing Crystal, though there were no prior police reports, arrests, or documented domestic violence calls.

That absence of a formal record has reignited debate over how many abusive situations remain hidden until they end in catastrophe—especially when substance abuse, isolation, and family pressures collide.

Inside the home, deputies noted a decorated Christmas tree with presents underneath, a stark reminder of how quickly ordinary family life can turn into tragedy.

Children Placed With Grandparents

The surviving children—the 12-year-old boy, the 13-year-old girl, and the 1-year-old toddler—have been placed with grandparents as Florida’s Department of Children and Families evaluates next steps.

Crystal’s sister, Stephanie Rourie, issued a heartfelt statement mourning her loss and pledging to protect the children. “You didn’t deserve this,” she said. “Her babies will never not know the type of mother she was.”

A Broader Warning

From a center-right perspective, this case underscores a hard truth: government systems alone cannot prevent every act of domestic violence. Families, communities, faith institutions, and neighbors play a critical role in recognizing danger signs and intervening early—especially when substance abuse and escalating conflict are present.

Sheriff Judd put it plainly during a press conference: “How does an argument over a television program end up with a murder, an attempted murder, and a suicide? This should never happen. Call for help. Don’t hurt a loved one.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or a personal crisis, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1-800-799-7233 or by texting START to 73788. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available nationwide.

This investigation is closed as a murder-suicide, but the broader questions it raises—about prevention, accountability, and community responsibility—remain painfully open.