Woman charged in double homicide that killed former Missouri fire chief, daughter
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- Woman charged with two counts of first-degree murder after double shooting in Ferguson.
- Victims: former Berkeley fire chief Henry Williams and daughter Ha'layna Elliot.
- Officers found a .38 caliber revolver; suspect held on $2M cash-only bond.
A St. Louis woman has been charged with murder in a domestic-violence-related double shooting that killed a former St. Louis area fire chief and his daughter in Ferguson, Missouri, over the weekend.
Prosecutors charged Linda Hayden, 61, with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action following the fatal double shooting on Saturday evening, the Ferguson Police Department said in a Facebook post.
Police identified one of the victims as former Berkeley, Missouri, Fire Chief Henry Williams. Police said the identity of the second victim was pending results from an autopsy that was scheduled for Sunday.
The Pattonville School District on Sunday identified the second victim as Williams’ 15-year-old daughter, Ha’layna Elliot, a sophomore basketball player at Pattonville High School, St. Louis television station KSDK reported. The district said it was offering counseling to help students with their classmate’s death.
Court documents identify the victims through their initials, H.W. and H.E.
Police and emergency medical crews responded to a medical call about 6:15 p.m. in the 500 block of North Clay Avenue. There, they found Williams and his daughter suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite lifesaving measures, both of them died at the scene, according to Ferguson police.
Police took one person into custody for questioning.
According to court documents, Williams and Hayden were in a relationship and living together. Ha’Layna also lived there.
Relatives spoke with Williams at approximately 5:30 p.m. Saturday and made plans to meet at his home. When the relatives arrived at about 6:11 p.m., they found both victims dead inside the home.
Williams was found in the kitchen with a gunshot wound to the back of his head, according to court documents. Ha’Layna was found in her bedroom with a gunshot wound to her forehead.
The relatives called 911. When officers arrived, they began securing the home and discovered Hayden locked inside the main bedroom. After taking her into custody, police found a .38 caliber revolver. The revolver had three live rounds and two spent casings in the chamber, according to court documents.
Hayden was being held in the St. Louis County Justice Center on a $2 million cash-only bond.
