In the quiet town of Hernando, Mississippi, the morning of August 4, 2024, was shattered by the sound of gunshots on Mason Drive. When police responded to a 911 call just after 8 a.m., they discovered a tragic scene that would leave a family and community in mourning. Inside a home, they found 78-year-old Mary Janice Ray, a white female, shot to death in the breakfast room where she had been watching television.
Further investigation revealed two other victims.
On the back patio, officers found 51-year-old Kelley Denise Cincurak, who had also been shot. She was airlifted to Regional One Hospital in Memphis in critical condition but later succumbed to her injuries. In the master bedroom, authorities found 71-year-old Rickie Thomas Ray, Mary's husband, deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Two firearms were discovered near his body.
Investigators have characterized the incident as a murder-suicide, with Rickie Thomas Ray as the perpetrator of the double homicide. The Hernando Police Department has stated that they believe this was an isolated incident and that there is no ongoing threat to the community. Evidence from the scene was sent to the Mississippi Crime Lab for further analysis as law enforcement continued to investigate the details surrounding the tragic event.
Mary Janice McCary Ray was remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend who had faced recent health battles with strength and a positive attitude. Her death, along with that of her daughter, Kelley, at the hands of her husband, left behind a grieving family, including her surviving daughter, Deborah Laws.
