Police: Spanaway man shot wife, daughter, then went for fast food
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SPANAWAY, Wash. -- Investigators say a man shot his wife at their Spanaway home Tuesday night, then took his 11-year-old daughter out for a drive before fatally shooting her in the car. He then stopped for a bite to eat before returning home and attempting to cover up evidence, police said.
Police were notified of the deaths when the man later walked into the Pierce County Jail early Wednesday and said he fatally shot his wife and child. Pierce County Sheriff's Captain Ed Smith said deputies went to a home in the 15500 block of 20th Ave. Court East and found the bodies just before 5 a.m.
"They did see through the window what appeared to be a person in the bed. The person was non-responsive," said Smith. "They went ahead and forced entry into the home, and found two deceased persons in the master bedroom bed."
The suspect has been identified as 40-year-old Dean R. Holmes, and the victims are his 41-year-old wife, Kristi Holmes, and 11-year-old daughter, Violet Holmes, police said.
Detectives say Dean Holmes told them he shot his wife while she slept Tuesday night, then woke Violet and a friend of hers who had slept over that night. Holmes took both kids in his car, dropped the friend of at her Auburn home, then drove around with Violet in the car, Smith said.
After a while, he pulled over along a Spanaway road and shot his daughter in the car, Smith said. Dean Holmes then drove to a fast food restaurant, bought a meal, and returned home and put Violet's body in bed with his wife's, detectives said.
After several hours of attempting to clean his home and car, Dean Holmes turned himself in, Smith said.
Detectives said further investigation revealed Dean Holmes owned a home painting business had been hiding financial issues form his wife, including lying about a home they were supposed to be moving in to. Financial records with the Department of Revenue show Dean Holmes owed more than $18,000 in unpaid taxes. He was also being sued by the owners of a home in Puyallup for unfinished work.
Another client, Connie Miller, says she paid Holmes to paint her shed, then asked for a refund when the job never got done.
"And he just kept coming up with excuses," said Connie Miller. "So I called him up and I asked him, 'Dean, if you're not going to paint the shed, can I please get my money back?' "
She added if she had known he was that desperate for money, he'd have never asked him for the money.
"I would have just gave him the whole $250," she said.
Dean Holmes has been booked into jail for investigation of two counts of first-degree murder and is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.
Police were notified of the deaths when the man later walked into the Pierce County Jail early Wednesday and said he fatally shot his wife and child. Pierce County Sheriff's Captain Ed Smith said deputies went to a home in the 15500 block of 20th Ave. Court East and found the bodies just before 5 a.m.
"They did see through the window what appeared to be a person in the bed. The person was non-responsive," said Smith. "They went ahead and forced entry into the home, and found two deceased persons in the master bedroom bed."
The suspect has been identified as 40-year-old Dean R. Holmes, and the victims are his 41-year-old wife, Kristi Holmes, and 11-year-old daughter, Violet Holmes, police said.
Detectives say Dean Holmes told them he shot his wife while she slept Tuesday night, then woke Violet and a friend of hers who had slept over that night. Holmes took both kids in his car, dropped the friend of at her Auburn home, then drove around with Violet in the car, Smith said.
After a while, he pulled over along a Spanaway road and shot his daughter in the car, Smith said. Dean Holmes then drove to a fast food restaurant, bought a meal, and returned home and put Violet's body in bed with his wife's, detectives said.
After several hours of attempting to clean his home and car, Dean Holmes turned himself in, Smith said.
Detectives said further investigation revealed Dean Holmes owned a home painting business had been hiding financial issues form his wife, including lying about a home they were supposed to be moving in to. Financial records with the Department of Revenue show Dean Holmes owed more than $18,000 in unpaid taxes. He was also being sued by the owners of a home in Puyallup for unfinished work.
Another client, Connie Miller, says she paid Holmes to paint her shed, then asked for a refund when the job never got done.
"And he just kept coming up with excuses," said Connie Miller. "So I called him up and I asked him, 'Dean, if you're not going to paint the shed, can I please get my money back?' "
She added if she had known he was that desperate for money, he'd have never asked him for the money.
"I would have just gave him the whole $250," she said.
Dean Holmes has been booked into jail for investigation of two counts of first-degree murder and is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.
Not to be disrespectful of the victims families and friends, but every time I hear about another horrible shooting like this, as a Canadian living in a country with gun control laws, I think to myself, "this might have been avoided if it wasn't so easy for this man to own and carry a gun." It seems no one wants to look at this one little factor that might have made the difference between him killing his family, and him just being really depressed and thinking about killing his family but not doing it. Yes, there are other ways if you really want to murder someone, but guns are designed to kill people, simple at that. One thing is certain: they work. R.I.P. Kristi and Violet Holmes.Â
.....so Sad
Such a sad story. Must be awful to be that desperate you murder your wife and beautiful daughter. I don't understand how he could eat with his daughter in the car with him. Clean up, must have had blood from his head to toe........carried Violet into the house and put her on the bed with Kristi? Too bad he didn't have the guts to commit suicide and rid society of him. RIP ladies and prayers for their family and friends.
He need's to die, and go to hell
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He shot his daughter in the car, then went for fast food? I wonder what time this was and how no one noticed her and the car being a mess. If he parked and went in, that would mean it was probably earlier than 11pm, right? Don't most places stay open until then and after that, they only have drive through? I would think even if he walked inside, someone in the parking lot would've noticed because I am sure he was acting strangely trying to hide her and/or blood, etc. Just so sick. This is such a sad story.
 @Anarchy Might as well get that last Big Mac before prison food
This is the saddest story I've read on KOMONews.com in some time. Dean Holmes is one deranged individual.
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 @Commonsense I was thinking the same thing. Always.
Wow. If ever there is a case for premeditated murder, this is it: He clearly had planned what he was going to do - shot his wife, THEN drove his daughter's friend home before shooting his daughter in the car.Â
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Plenty of people are dealing with limited financial resources and debt in one form or another but they aren't killing eachother - its not impossible to work out payments and reduce debt. No customer should feel guilty that this creep chose to murder his family. Ultimately he did what he did because he wanted to.
 @Smokin Bear I'll bet this thing is a staunch Republican, also...
@JLS1950 - I'm thinking that you're kidding, right?
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Much as I don't agree with Republican philosophy, I don't think that they are evil.Â
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This guy is a monsterously vicious human.Â
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Have a great Labor Day Weekend.
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I kind of want to know what the guy decided his last meal of freedom would be.
violet was my 11yr old brothers girlfriend and our whole familly loved her,
we will love and miss her and her mom, RIP Violet & Kristi
Your 11 year old brothers girlfriend?! Shouln't he be playing with trucks?
 @Amanda Panda Thanks for being a voice for the victims. My heart goes out to you
 @Amanda Panda I'm sorry to head of this loss - it must be difficult to understand why a person would do something like this - especially over money.  It's an unthinkable act.
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We can only hope that neither Violet or her mom suffered any pain. Â
It's strange he didn't kill himself too. The old face of crazy used to kill themselves, now they aren't taking the next step. I wonder how unusual it is to try and cover up the deed but change your mind and turn yourself in.Â
 @Cinn Why kill yourself when you can get 3 hots and a cot for the rest of your days, free cable TV, free gym......just can't leave.
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What a black dark place he must be in to kill his own daughter. Now he has to live with what he did. Like I have said before, the ultimate evil is killing your own kids. Sick.
I can't even begin to fathom how the daughter's friend must be feeling. wow. What a tremendous tragedy.
Cleaned the home and turned himself in... What, are you nuts?????
You ask is he nuts? Uh yes I think the evidence is there that is is nuts. Totally nuts as well as a selfish coward who could not handle his OWN life well...so he chooses murder to ruin his familys life a well. Truly nuts. Yes.
It's apparent you got the joke - congrats.
 @DualLeads Repentance behavior. Some killers put a cloth or blanket over the face or body. Some pose them like they're in a casket. They see it as a way to cleanse themselves. Humans are freaks.
I suppose you get hungry when you murder your family...
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Why are all the black and white logic people talking about guns? If he wanted to kill his family, he could have used a knife or a hammer; doesn't matter. If you outlaw guns, do you think criminals won't have guns? That's very naive. Using that logic, you'd have to outlaw 70's ashtrays, rocks, lamps, garages with running cars, screwdrivers, etc. If you're so angry about guns, why don't you insist the DOJ hand over documents showing the deaths of two agents were the result of this administration's criminal negligence and put Holder on trial for that stupid operation he led.
Another permanent "solution" to a very temporary problem - all because when the only (or merely handiest) tool you have is a hammer every problem comes to look like a nail. No doubt he bought that gun for "protection of his family", too.
Instead of making everyone get rid of guns, there should be harsher and quicker punishments,none of this sitting on death row for decades nonsense. If someone is obviously guilty for rape, murder, they need to be dealt with in a similar fashion. Enough of political correctness and being humane. We should make it unthinkable to just go and take another life, then just be treated respectfully, be provided tax payers lawyers, tax payers prisons, food for decades..Crimes like this makes me wish we had some trade agreement with middle eastern prisons for lifers, or North Korea prisons perhaps. People would think twice before committing crimes like this for sure, the consequences should make movie the hostel look like cartoons compared to what they will encounter. Violent crime will be the lowest in the world I guarantee it
 @commentator Just how is killing this guy going to stop this sort of thing, when the guy was evidently without hope (or at least thought he was) and was clearly suicidal in the first place? Sure: "punish" the guy by giving his just exactly what he thought he wanted! Yep...
 just like David Brame!
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In England, they used to sometimes punish the crime of attempted suicide by hanging... Yeah, THAT worked!
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This kind of crime will only abate when we STOP GLAMORIZING GUNS so that people who don't actually need then DON'T GET THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE!
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"We should make it unthinkable to just go and take another life" ... Isn't that the whole point of purchasing a gun in the first place??? Isn't that PRECISELY what your are here ADVOCATING??? "Anybody who even THINKS of killing someone should be KILLED IMMEDIATELY" Uh... I'll bet you don't even catch the irony!
So because he's an irresponsible POS he had to kill his wife and daughter? I don't understand how you can kill your own child. Ever. He needs to be removed from the earth.
Gun advocates are more likely to shoot someone they love or be shot by their own weapon by someone they love than to even fire their weapon in the direction of someone who means to harm them. Maybe go buy some lottery tickets if you think otherwise.
So you are saying that because I own a gun and believe in being able to own a firearm that I am going to kill someone that I love or not love? Talk about prejudice. No one I know or myself have EVER been threatened by a gun. I am a normal everyday female who works for a living, pays taxes, drives an American brand car and loves my country. I just happen to have a firearm in my night stand. Something know one would ever even know unless I tell them. And I don't have children so I don't see the need to lock it up. And bye the way, keep away from me with your vehicle, that is one of the most dangerous weapons of all, yet they give ANYONE a license and let anyone drive. Not one threat by a gun owner, but I am threatened every single day by careless drivers with cell phones in their ears, texting, drinking and what ever the heck else people do while driving. Vehicles probably kill more people that guns, oh but that is classified as an accident. Most are NOT accidents, but negligence on the drivers part. Pull your head out of the sand and wake up to reality.
@starredsneech Where did you get that statistic? Owners of stolen guns are not the same as gun advocates. What you claim is the same false rhetoric that never produced any reliable sources. I see the same false info is being redistributed.
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I knew Kristi from working with her for the past five years at Century Link Field. She was a very sweet person who was a friend to everyone. We will dearly miss her.
 @Beerman Tom I'm sorry for your loss :(
 @Beerman Tom So sorry for your loss.Â
 @Tonkasmom tonkasmom: Thank you for your kindness. Appreciate the ones you love. Tomorrow is promised to no one.
 @Beerman Tom I am so sorry for your loss.
 @alaska_dreamin  @Beerman Tom Thanks alaska, you're very kind.
America needs to wake up. Guns ARE a problem. Anything can be used as a weapon but guns are far more dangerous and cause a lot more damage. Also, it's much easier to pick up a gun and kill someone than do it with your bare hands. Would tougher gun laws prevent all murders? No. But if you took away guns you would see a very sharp drop in crime and murder. You can't do a drive-by without a gun. This guy could have still found a way to kill his wife and daughter but it also might have prevented it. Maybe his wife would have fought back and stood a chance. Being shot while you're sleeping? You stand no chance. If you don't believe this then we might as well hand out guns to every prisoner that walks out the door after his sentence is up because it's that easy to get a gun. Our current laws don't work. It's not rocket science.Â
You might as well hand them out to every prisoner, because if you take guns away and make them illegal, the criminals are going to be the only ones that do have them. I guess all of you are too young or have never read about prohibition and how well that worked. The criminal element will be making tons, and tons of money selling illegal guns to everyone. Like it or not, people are always going to be able to get the things they want legally, or illegally. Guns, liquor, drugs, prostitution, abortion. Make it illegal and they will come! Good luck to all of you who think this kind of thing can be stopped.It all might not be right depending on your opinion, but the reality of it is, that is life.
@FremontTroll  I tottally agree with you!!!!!! Otherwise goverment have to control those with guns very strictly including their mental health, and financial situation....
@FremontTroll I heard someone say something about the pricing of bullets... the more expensive they are the less people are willing to pull the trigger knowing the bulltes cost 500 to 1000 dollars a piece... But the cost of the bullets will make them think twice before they shot someone!
@FremontTroll Dude take another bong hit.  If you took away guns there would still be gun violence. Our current laws don't work because they are not enforced. Guns are not the problem, and for you to think that if there were not guns there would be no murder is a pretty silly notion. That guy in Ohio couple years back thunked his old lady in the head with a hammer and then ran her through a wood chipper, no guns involved there.Â
@FremontTroll Yes, guns are a problem, but not in the way you think. There aren't enough of them in the hands of legal, law abiding citizens. If you use real facts, you'll see that crime increases when guns are taken away. Check out Australia and Great Britain. Look at our major cities across the nation. Compare the murder rates of the most gun prohibitive cities. You're spreading false information. Check your facts. The reason why it's hard for gun control advocates to ban guns is because all of their claims have been proven wrong with real life facts.
That's a terrible argument that's nonsense. There's a reason our generation is labeled generation x. It's pathetic if you think the problem would be solved by removing guns. Are you crazy enough to think that bad people still won't get their hands on guns? Right now someone can just walk across our border. People can get guns from them. Not to mention, bad people will still find ways to steal them. Then what, gunman walks into a home and a defenseless person is standing 10 feet away. What's he supposed to do? Call 911? The response would be, have a nice eternity, hopefully by the time we get there he'll still have not pulled that trigger. Read the second amendment. The purpose of it is to protect against government tyranny, and the commas mean everything. The constitution goes 'we the people',. In case you didn't know, Switzerland trains their citizens on how to use guns. With that knowledge, what do you think the crime rate is? You're probably saying high, in which case you'd be wrong. It's the lowest. People commit crime less when they know there's high probability the person they're going after is armed and trained in the use of guns.
 @mariners95 The only question here worth considering is, "Would this man have murdered his wife and daughter if he didn't have access to a gun?" I don't know the exact circumstances, but it sounds like this man was depressed, extremely full of shame, and saw no way out of his financial troubles. In hindsight we can say that his thinking was irrational and distorted, and of course he could have figured out a way to get out of the mess he was in, but when someone is depressed, they cannot see a way out. Would you give someone a rope or poison who was depressed and talking about killing themselves? Of course not. Had he not had access to an easy, swift, and glamorized way of killing another human being, he might have been more likely to seek help for his depression, rather than take this ultimate step. Gun advocates will assert their right to carry weapons to defend themselves until they are blue in the face. We will never know what might have been or how motivated Mr. Holmes was to kill his wife and daughter, but I think even the possibility that it might have been avoided given different conditions with respect to gun ownership begs consideration. Speaking from personal experience with depression, there have been times when I look back on my past that I am now extremely grateful that I didn't have an easy way to end my life at my disposal.Â
Yes. Let's take away all the guns, so that the only ones left who have them are the criminals. Because after all, they'll be sure to turn them in when they're outlawed, good honest citizens that they are.
@ladylib1 Yeah because criminals follow the law!!!!
 @ladylib1 Well, it would make certain criminals rather easy to identify, wouldn't it?
@JLS1950 @ladylib1 Yes, criminals would be very easy to identify when they are pointing a gun at you...
@FremontTroll Women who know there are guns in your house take them and get rid of them. Don't wait for gun laws. You are the gun law. Lay down the law and make yourself safe. Don't live in fear like the boys who need to have a gun for protection. Whose house is it anyway?
 @FremontTroll I'm fairly neutral in the debate on guns, but I do believe access should be much more limited, background information should be much more accessible, and the process to own firearms should be more intense to go through. Taking them all away is a stupid and impossible task, but limiting the ways that criminals can get ahold of firearms illegally and limiting access by people who shouldn't have access is a necessity. Even Pro-Gun people should be able to get behind that.
 @IlBrutto13  @FremontTroll But they won't.