Tampa Bay Rays minor leaguer Blake Bivens's wife and child killed, brother-in-law charged with murder: Reports
In a tragic incident that occurred on Tuesday, the wife and child of Tampa Bay Rays minor leaguer Blake Bivens were killed in Virginia, according to ESPN. Police have allegedly charged Bivens's wife's brother with three counts of first-degree homicide. According to USA Today, Pittsylvania County police arrested Matthew Bernard, 19, on Tuesday, August 27, afternoon after chasing him down for three hours. He was reportedly found naked in the parking lot of Keeling Baptist Church. He was found to have a rifle on him.
Authorities had found the body of a woman on the driveway of a local home and upon further investigation, found the bodies of another woman and a child inside the premises. The family's dog is also supposed to have been killed in the ordeal. The names of the victims had not been released initially and the police said they wanted to wait to communicate the news to the victims' families first. They - Bivens's wife Emily and son Cullen - were first identified by ESPN reporter Jeff Passan. The third woman is believed to be Bivens's mother-in-law. The Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke will officially determine the cause and manner of death.
"Earlier today we learned that Blake Bivens, a pitcher with our Double-A affiliate, the Montgomery Biscuits, suffered a terrible family tragedy in southern Virginia," the Rays said in a statement on Twitter, "Our hearts are broken for Blake. We are grieving with him and will support him any way we can. We ask that everyone respect the privacy of the Bivens family and the Biscuits family during this extremely difficult time," the statement continued.
The reason behind the triple homicide is not yet known and the investigation continues. The couple had tied the knot in 2016 and their son would turn one this year, according to their social media. The Biscuits have postponed tonight's game as a mark of respect.