Man fatally shoots his three girls, then himself

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Alleghany man fatally shoots his three girls, then himself
Authorities say his wife had moved out of home a week ago

By REX BOWMAN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007

An Alleghany County man whose wife moved out a week ago shot and killed their three daughters and then himself, authorities said after finding their bodies yesterday.

The bodies of the girls, apparently shot as they slept, were found in separate bedrooms after a deputy went to check on the family. Edward Sims Jr., 41, used a pillow to muffle the sound of his .380-caliber handgun as he shot the girls, said Sgt. Dwaine Paxton of the Alleghany Sheriff's Office.

"Our minds are crazy here right now," said Paxton, lead investigator in the case. "This is the first killing of this magnitude in Alleghany ever."

Authorities identified the girls as 17-year-old Britney Sims, a senior at Alleghany High School; 14-year-old Amber Sims, an eighth-grader at Clifton Forge Middle School; and 8-year-old Morgan Sims, a third-grader at Mountain View Elementary School.

Authorities believe Sims killed the girls and himself late Saturday night or Sunday morning. Neighbors had last seen the girls Saturday. The girls apparently had gone to their father's home sometime during the weekend to visit.

Paxton said Sims' wife had moved out of their home in the Potts Creek community, about 15 miles south of Covington, a week ago, but investigators aren't sure what role that might have played in the killings.

"There was no evidence of violence in the family," Paxton said.

Sims' wife called the sheriff's office yesterday because she had not heard from her daughters, so Sgt. Stan Bush drove to the house on Jonestown Road to check on them. Bush found the bodies about 7:30 a.m.

Paxton said the murder-suicide is under investigation. The girls' bodies have been taken to the state medical examiner's office in Roanoke.

Counseling services have been made available at the girls' schools.

"We are sort of dealing with the shock of all of this today," said Alleghany School Superintendent Robert P. "Bob" Grimesey Jr.

Alleghany man fatally shoots his three girls, then himself

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Alleghany Father Kills His Three Children, Then Himself
Murders Apparently Committed Last Weekend

ROCKBRIDGE WEEKLY


The Alleghany County Sheriff's Office received a call Monday morning (August 27) requesting a well-being check to be done at 600 Jonestown Road in the southern portion of Alleghany County.

Sgt. S. E. bush arrived at the scene and found the house to be secure. Sgt. Bush was unable to summon anyone to the door and began to check the windows, where he observed at least two persons who appeared to be unresponsive.

At this point, he forced entry into the residence through the back door. The officer found four persons in the home, three females and one male and all were deceased. Each had received a gunshot wound to the head.

An investigation so far indicates that young females' father had shot them and then he shot himself. A .380 caliber handgun was recovered by investigators at the scene. The three children were identified as Britney Sims, age 17; Amber Sims, age 14; and Morgan Sims, age 8. Britney was a senior at Alleghany High School; Amber was an eighth grader at Clifton Middle School; and Morgan was a third grader at Mountain View Elementary School. The father was identified as Edward F. Sims, Jr., age 41.

Mr. Sims and his wife had recently separated and she was currently riding in Clifton Forge. The mother initially called the Sheriff's Office because she had not heard from the children, who would always call her at least once a day. Neighbors in the area last saw the girls on Saturday. It is believed the shootings took place late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. It also appears that the children were asleep at the time and were found in separate rooms.

In accordance with state law, the bodies have been transported to the office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Roanoke, Virginia, for autopsies. Crisis intervention teams have been mobilized by the Alleghany Highlands School System and sent to the various schools affected by this tragedy.

The investigation continues.

Alleghany Father Kills His Three Children, Then Himself

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Alleghany man kills 3 daughters, self
The children, discovered early Monday, were shot in the head while they slept.

ROANOKE.COM
By Reed Williams
August 28, 2007

JORDAN MINES -- An Alleghany County man shot and killed his three daughters as they slept, muffling the gunshots with a pillow, before fatally shooting himself in the family's home, authorities said.

Those who knew Edward F. Sims Jr. said he was a family man who rarely missed his oldest daughter's softball games. On Saturday afternoon, neighbors saw him playing outside with his youngest girl. To them, he seemed happy. ...

continued: Alleghany man kills 3 daughters, self


Edward F. Sims Jr., 41, shot his three daughters and himself
at this Alleghany County house either late Saturday or early Sunday.
Photo by Jared Soares | The Roanoke Times

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Father Shoots Three Daughters Then Himself

ABC13 WSET.COM
Reporter: Amber Davison
Monday August 27, 2007

Watch the Video

Alleghany Co., VA - A triple murder-suicide in Allegheny County. Deputies say a father shot his three daughters while they were sleeping, then turned the gun on himself. Why do police think he did this? We asked Sheriff Dale Muterspaugh that exact question, but as he said, 'What drives anyone to do something like this?!' ...

continued: Father Shoots Three Daughters Then Himself

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Family of Murdered Girls Says Community Will Have To Accept Lack of Motive

by Scott Leamon / WSLS NewsChannel 10
Aug 29, 2007

Family members of the three sisters killed by their father in Alleghany County said the community will have to accept no one may ever know why the murders happened.

Several members of the Sims family and some of the girls' favorite teachers gathered to talk about the loss at Mountain View Elementary School near Clifton Forge. The youngest victim, Morgan Sims, was a third grader at the school. ...

continued: Family of Murdered Girls Says Community Will Have To Accept Lack of Motive

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Britney, Amber and Morgan Sims: In their hearts
More than 100 people gathered for a vigil to the slain Alleghany Co. girls.

Roanoke.com
By Reed Williams
August 29, 2007

COVINGTON -- On the high school softball field, Britney Sims was quite the competitor.

She and Hollee Warlitner, who played varsity softball together at Alleghany High School, would always kid each other: Which of them was going to hit the most home runs? Who would hit them the farthest? Who could round the bases the fastest?

Britney was also among the first to congratulate Hollee when she was named player of the year for the Blue Ridge District. And when Jennifer Simpson hit her first home run at a state tournament this summer, Britney seemed as happy as if she had swung the bat. ...

continued: Britney, Amber and Morgan Sims: In their hearts


The playing of Eric Clapton's 'Tears in Heaven' was part of
the candlelight vigil in Alleghany County Tuesday for the
three Sims girls.

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No answers in father's murder of three daughters
Residents struggle with questions as three sisters are buried.

roanoke.com
By Jay Conley
August 31, 2007

CLIFTON FORGE -- More than 200 people streamed into Mountain View Cemetery Thursday to attend a graveside service for three Alleghany County girls who were remembered as happy children with a competitive nature and who loved sports.

The funerals for Britney Sims, 17, and her younger sisters, Amber, 14, and Morgan, 8, came as this rural community struggles to comprehend the girls' tragic shooting deaths at the hands of their father.

"They're awestruck that this could happen here," said the Rev. Roger Bush of Oak Hill Bible Church, one of two ministers who conducted Thursday's service. ...

continued: No answers in father's murder of three daughters