Family Of Double Murder, Suicide Victims Speaks Out

Monday, July 30th 2007, 10:23 am

By: News On 6

A double murder and suicide in Catoosa has left a family with a lot of questions. They must deal with the loss and try to figure out why. The murders happened sometime Friday morning. An 80-year-old woman and her adult, disabled son were found shot to death. Another man, the son and brother of the victims, was later found dead, and police believe he shot the others, then himself. The News On 6â€™s Emory Bryan reports the family doesn't dispute that, but they sure don't understand it.

â€œI just couldnâ€™t believe it, not in my wildest dreams,â€ said family member Donna Wadsworth.

Wadsworth lost three of her family members in the murder suicide, her mother Joye Godwin, a brother Lon Godwin, and her only other sibling, Rick Godwin. They were a close family and she grew worried when she couldn't reach them on the phone Friday afternoon.

"I called and called, and just something didnâ€™t feel right, and so we went out there about 9 oâ€™clock that night, and thatâ€™s when we found them,â€ Wadsworth said.

She found the bodies of Rick Godwin and her mother at the mother's home on the south side of Catoosa. Police believe Lon Godwin shot them then drove home and shot himself. Wadsworth says her mother was an active community volunteer and Rick Godwin, despite a disabling accident years ago, remained active, even riding a bicycle he could pedal with his hands.

Wadsworth says her brother Lon Godwin showed no signs he was having troubles and gave no indication of what he was planning. She talked with him the night before the murders.

"He wasn't really different. Why I didnâ€™t pick up on it, I donâ€™t know,â€ she said.

The family has planned a memorial service for Thursday at 11 at the Catoosa High School activity center.

Watch the video: Double Murder, Suicide Leaves Family Members With Questions

Related story:

7/28/2007 - Three Dead In Possible Murder-Suicide