JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police have identified a husband and wife who were involved in a murder-suicide Wednesday in the Wynnfield Lakes subdivision in the Sandalwood area of Jacksonville.
Brenda Brannon, 53, and Barry Brannon, 53, were found shot to death in a home on Emerald Green Court, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
News4Jax has learned that the Brannons filed for divorce in March and it was finalized on Tuesday.
Later Tuesday night, police said they were called to the Brannon home due to an argument between Barry Brannon and his adult son.
The next day, officers responding about 11:20 a.m. Wednesday to a family member's welfare check request at the home, which is near Kernan Boulevard, spotted a woman lying in the house and were unable to get her to respond or move, JSO Sgt. Jay Farhat said.
Farhat said officers had information that a suspect might be inside, so SWAT was called and a robot that went into the home found the Brannons dead.
According to the evidence at the scene, Barry Brannon shot and killed Brenda Brannon before turning the gun on himself.
Investigators had the area blocked off for at least half a mile with dozens of police cars and SWAT vehicles.
"I thought there was a bomb or something. I was afraid. I knew something very serious was happening," said Sarah Lee, who lives nearby.
Barry Brannon had been previously married but filed for divorce in 2010. He has no previous criminal history in Duval County, just a traffic ticket.
According to JSO records, officers had been called to their home eight times since last October, including once in December for a loud disturbance as well as the night before the couple found dead.
Investigators said there had been argument between Barry Brannon and his son and officers were at the home for about half an hour while the son gathered his belongings and left.
People in the quiet neighborhood were shocked and saddened by the news.
“First of all, it's unbelievably sad that would ever happen, and in this neighborhood, I didn't ever envision this would happen,” Debbie Carlson said. “It's truly sad.”
Lee said she didn't know the couple personally, but her neighbor across the street was close friends with them.
"They just knew that the relationship was in trouble and that the wife had reached out to others before, stating that she was fearful," Lee said.