In the quiet town of Preston, Idaho, a heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded on February 19, 2017, claiming the life of 6-year-old Caucasian female Jessica Spillett. Jessica, along with her 7-year-old brother, Tate McCoy Spillett, and their 15-year-old half-brother, Corbin Hillaker, were found deceased in their home. The devastating discovery was made by a family friend late that afternoon, sending shockwaves through the close-knit community.
Investigators determined that the children were
fatally shot in their beds, likely while they were sleeping, in the early hours of that Sunday morning. The perpetrator was identified as the children's father, 37-year-old Tate Lee Spillett. After taking the lives of his children with a semi-automatic rifle, he then turned the weapon on himself, completing the horrific murder-suicide. At the time of the incident, the children's mother, Summer Spillett, was out of state for work. She and Tate Spillett were reportedly going through a divorce.
The investigation into the motive remained unclear, leaving a community to grapple with the senseless loss of three young lives. There were reports that police had been called to the family's residence on previous occasions for matters involving the children, though further details were not publicly disclosed. In the wake of the tragedy, an outpouring of support was shown for the children's mother as she faced the unimaginable task of burying her three children. The case was closed with the identification of Tate Spillett as the sole suspect, as he was also deceased.
