In the quiet town of Ammon, Idaho, the morning of May 13, 2011, was shattered by a horrific discovery that would leave the community in shock. Responding to a report of a small house fire at 3 a.m., emergency services entered a home to find a scene of unimaginable tragedy. Inside, they found the bodies of 19-year-old Caucasian female Malinda Kern, her older sister Michelle Kern, 22, and Michelle's two young sons, a 3-year-old and a 10-month-old.
All four victims had been fatally shot.
The perpetrator was identified as Gaylin Leirmoe, 26, the father of Michelle's children. Authorities concluded that Leirmoe had shot Malinda, Michelle, and his two sons before setting fire to the house and turning the gun on himself. Leirmoe was found with a gunshot wound and later died at a local hospital. Investigators believe the tragic event was the result of a murder-suicide.
At the time of the incident, the sisters' parents were out of town. Michelle and her two sons had been living in the family home. Leirmoe, who was from Iowa, had recently separated from Michelle and had just arrived at the house. The quiet cul-de-sac where the family lived was left to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of a young woman, her sister, and two small children.
