In a tragic event that unfolded in Waldorf, Maryland, 17-year-old Lashelle Goodwin lost her life on March 23, 2017. The violence erupted on a Thursday evening when Charles County Sheriff's deputies responded to multiple calls about gunshots at a residence on Westdale Court. Upon their arrival, they discovered a horrifying scene that pointed to a domestic-related murder-suicide.
The initial investigation revealed that Lashelle's father, 37-year-old Carlton Goodwin, was the perpetrator.
Before taking his own life, he fatally shot Lashelle and her 4-year-old sister, Laila Goodwin. He also shot and seriously injured his wife, the girls' mother. When officers entered the home, they found Carlton Goodwin deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound with a gun lying beside him.
Lashelle was discovered in an upstairs bathroom with several gunshot wounds. She was flown to a hospital for treatment but ultimately succumbed to her injuries. Her younger sister, Laila, was found deceased in an upstairs bedroom. The girls' mother, despite being shot multiple times, was found outside the home and was transported to a hospital with serious injuries.
Authorities have stated that there was no prior history of domestic-related calls to the Goodwin residence. Investigators worked to establish a motive for the devastating actions of Carlton Goodwin, but what prompted the shootings remained unclear in the immediate aftermath. The incident left the local community in shock and mourning for the two young lives lost.
