Child among 3 killed in murder-suicide in Alabama; girl critically injured

Three people, including a child, were killed in a suspected murder-suicide in rural Clarke County, Alabama, according to officials. An 11-year-old girl was also critically injured.

Deputies were called around 8 a.m. on Sunday to a home on Mary Aquilla Road in the Whatley community for a welfare check, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office said in an update on Monday.

Responding deputies found 39-year-old Ashley Danielle Howell and her 8-year-old son dead from gunshot wounds. Her 11-year-old daughter had also been shot but was still alive. She was taken to Grove Hill Hospital and later transferred to a trauma center in Mobile, where she remains in serious condition.

The suspected shooter, 43-year-old Edward Bernard Raine, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a news release obtained by WKRG.

Investigators believe Raine shot Howell and her children before turning the gun on himself. The Clarke County Sheriff’s Office said the incident is being investigated as a double homicide and suicide.

Court records show Raine was arrested in May 2024 for allegedly threatening to shoot and kill Howell, according to WALA. Those charges were later dismissed. His criminal history dates back to 2001 and includes arrests for domestic violence, assault, burglary, and multiple alcohol-related offenses.

The investigation is being led by the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with local police departments and the First Judicial Major Crimes Task Force.