Three bodies were found Monday in Pocahontas that police now believe to be the result of a double murder-suicide.
According to Sergeant Trason Johnson of the Pocahontas Police Department, the initial 911 call came in around 7:45 Monday morning from the area of Hospital Drive in Pocahontas. The report said that a relative of an adult male involved had been unable to reach them the day prior, so they went to go check on them. When the relative arrived, they realized something was wrong and called 911.
Officers quickly arrived at the residence and were able gain entry to investigate. During their investigation, officers discovered three people in the home that were deceased and requested assistance from Arkansas State Police.
Sgt. Johnson made a statement Wednesday saying that all signs from the investigating agencies points to a double murder-suicide. According to the investigation, it appeared that between 1:30 P.M. and 2 P.M. on November 3rd, the father of the family had killed both his wife and 14-year-old son. Both victims were dead from apparent gunshot wounds. The determined cause of death from the father appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In the statement, police say that the address had prior known domestic issues.
The adult male has been identified as Nick Dawsey, the female victim as Hannah Dawsey. The name of the 14-year-old victim has not been released.
As standard procedure for these investigations, all three bodies have been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy.
Prosecuting Attorney Devon Holder remarked on the tragic nature of the case.
“It’s just a gut-wrenching situation,” Holder said. “It makes me sick to my stomach to think that this happened. We don’t have any evidence indicating anything except the father killed his wife and son, and then killed himself.”
Pocahontas schools posted an update grieving the loss of a 14-year-old student earlier in the week.
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