SPRINGFIELD – A tragedy unfolded when a mother murdered her 9-year-old daughter before turning the gun on herself at their home on Easter Sunday.
Springfield Police were called to a residence in the 1000 block of South 70th Street at 6:43 p.m. regarding two suspicious deaths. After collecting physical evidence, video surveillance, and speaking with several witnesses, SPD detectives, in conjunction with the Lane County Medical Examiner’s office, determined both died from gunshot wounds.
Kristin Bennett, 48, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and her daughter was a victim of homicide, police said. The name of the child has not been publicly disclosed.
Two other family members that reside in the home have been contacted and are actively assisting detectives with the investigation.
“I’m working with the detectives to see what they can and can’t disclose based on the nature of the case,” said Zak Gosa-Lewis, who is the public information officer for the department. “At this point, we are not able to provide additional details or comment.”
The Chronicle has submitted a public records request, which will be processed when the investigation is finalized.
Police ask that anyone with information regarding this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department at 541-726-3721.
