Police Recall Previous Encounters With Mother Involved In Verdigris Triple Murder-Suicide

Police shared more details about a triple murder-suicide in Verdigris, where they said a mom killed her three kids and then herself.

A woman was accompanying one of the children for a supervised visit with the mom, when the mom took the woman as a hostage and a standoff began shortly after, police said.

Investigators said a standoff ensued for more than three hours before police found three children and their mother dead inside the house.

Court records show the mother, Brandy McCaslin, had a history of substance abuse and police had responded to the residence numerous times.

"At no time when we were there for that three-hour period did we hear anything from inside the house -- nothing --no response, no movement,” Verdigris Police Chief Jack Shackelford said.

There’s no such thing as a routine call – it’s an expression Verdigris Police believe especially after Thursday night’s response.

Shackelford said officers have been called out to McCaslin’s house several times in the past.

"We knew her from previous encounters that we had with that residence and some of the other issues we'd had there before. I knew her by a first name basis and who she was,” Shackelford said.

He said officers responded to domestic violence and child welfare calls so many times that he could draw the layout of the house.

“Having been in the house numerous times dealing with her, I gave them a diagram floorplan of the house 'cause I'd been in it a bunch,” Shackelford said.

After surrounding the home for hours, tactical teams used the diagram to plan their breach into the house, clearing it room-by-room until they found everyone dead inside.

"They went in, they finally made their way to the back of the house where the bedroom was and discovered the suspect and the victims,” Shackelford said.

A relative identified the victims as 11-year-old Noe, six-year-old Bryce, and 10-month-old Billy.

“There's a lot of stress and stuff going on. People have issues. If you're having problems then by all means, get some help,” Shackelford said.

We reached out to DHS, which called this a heartbreaking situation. We asked why two of the three kids were allowed to be with the mother without supervision, but the department said it's too early in the investigation to answer that.

It is our policy to provide resources for anybody considering self-harm when reporting about a situation involving suicide or a suicide attempt. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call 1-800-273-8255.

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