James Travis Pitts: Tennessee man 'snaps' and murders wife and daughters, kills himself
A Tennessee family of four is dead after the father allegedly murdered his wife and two children before committing suicide on Friday, January 28. James Travis Pitts, 32, reportedly called 911 and told the dispatcher he shot his wife, Barbara Pitts, 32, and his two daughters, MaKayla Kleinert,13, and Riley Pitts, 6.
While talking to a dispatcher, the 32-year-old said he intended to shoot himself and that he had been experiencing mental health issues when he "snapped", according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.
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The dispatcher tried to keep James talking while a sergeant who was on his way home from work arrived at the family’s residence in Goodlettsville, a northern suburb of Nashville. The sergeant tried to communicate with the 32-year-old using his patrol vehicle’s loudspeaker. However, the sergeant reported hearing a gunshot. He subsequently entered the home, where he found James dead in the living room.
James' wife Barbara was found in the master bedroom and his two daughters were found in their respective bedrooms. Medics finding Barbara and MaKayla still alive, rushed them to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. As per the reports, MaKayla died on arrival while Barbara died in surgery. Investigators found a suicide note and a Glock pistol inside the home.
In 2017, James posted on Facebook about the obstacles in life that he had overcome and talked about how he was attempting to turn his life around. He wrote, "I left everything I knew in 2013 with nothing more than an idea that I could clean up and better my life". He said, "I found God and myself with the help of some amazing people at the Nashville Rescue Mission. Since then my life has changed only for the better, I met the love of my life, got married, and had another beautiful daughter." James concluding the post saying, "I will not stop, I'll never give up, and I will not rest or slow down until all my children are under my roof where they belong."
Ronnie Van Kleeck, a neighbor told the Tennessean that he would hear gunshots outside the residence regularly, even at night. Kleeck said, "We hear gunshots a lot." He further added, "Probably every other day. It's like boom, boom, boom. And it's dark out, so it's like, 'What are you shooting at?'". The murder has shocked the members of Bethlehem Baptist Church, where the family was part of the congregation.
Senior pastor Joshua Culver said, "When it was confirmed I just called my associate pastor and we just cried on the phone, just not knowing exactly what to do." Culver described Barbara as "a woman of God who was hungry to grow, she wanted to know more about Jesus". As for the children, the pastor said, "They were bright and beautiful and full of life. They were a blessing for sure." "What happened is a horrific tragedy. Our hearts are broken, and our staff is shocked by this devastating event," Culver said. "Right now, we simply ask for prayers for this family and our staff as we grieve this tragic loss."