A death all wrong
Crime scene investigation after Michael McLendon's murder spree
By now you have probably heard of the Alabama murder spree. If not, check out the details here on ABC News. Something set Michael McLendon off, going through two towns killing 10 people, then himself. What set him off, we don’t know. We only know the carnage.
The story hits home though. Not because of this horrible crime, but of one of the victims. Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Myers, a man who swore his life to the defense and protection of Geneva County, had the tables turned on him. Instead of being a target, he became the victim’s family. His wife and 18 month old daughter were killed while sitting on the porch talking with neighbors. His 3 month old daughter was shot in the leg and will need to have surgery.
I grew up the son of a Sheriff’s deputy, so this really hits home. I remember as a kid knowing that everyday when my dad went to work, he might not come back home. It’s a pretty startling truth for a young child to understand, but it made me stronger.
My dad spent 8 years in the Marine Corps and another 40 as a cop. He was well accustomed to the prospects of the danger of his job, and it didn’t affect him. Yet when it came to the safety of me or my mom, that was an entirely different story. I look back and see that he was being protective of us.
That’s how this story hits home. It’s hard enough to lose loved ones like that, but when you have handed off your life to protect others, even in the face of death, to come home and find your wife and daughter murdered, and your youngest child shot, words can’t describe that emotion. I think the only thing that is keeping him together is his 3 month old daughter and 4 year old son.
The kicker for him was the fact a friend texted him saying “Get home now,” but while he was on the way he got a call on the radio that a trooper was chasing a suspect that had fired shots. At that point it was too late, but I’m sure those are one of those moments that will always replay in his mind.
My heart goes out to this deputy and his family, and to all the loved ones and friends of the victims of this. Something was seriously wrong with this fellow, but there is no changing what has been done.
The full story on Deputy Myers can be found here on CNN.
