William Kinkel, a 59-year-old male, was killed in his Springfield, Oregon, home on May 20, 1998. His death was the tragic beginning of a violent episode that would soon impact the entire community. On that Wednesday afternoon, William was at his kitchen counter when his 15-year-old son, Kipland Kinkel, shot him in the back of the head with a. 22 caliber rifle.
After the shooting, his son dragged his body and covered it with a sheet.
The following day, on May 21, 1998, Kipland drove to Thurston High School, where he was a student. He was armed with multiple weapons, including the rifle used to kill his father. In the school's cafeteria, he opened fire, killing two students and injuring 25 others. It was only after this school shooting that authorities discovered the body of William Kinkel, along with that of his wife, Faith Kinkel, who their son had also murdered when she returned home from work on the evening of May 20th.
The suspect in William Kinkel's murder was his son, Kipland. The day before the killings, Kip had been suspended from school after a stolen handgun was found in his locker. He was arrested at the scene of the school shooting after being subdued by fellow students. During questioning, Kip Kinkel confessed to the murders of both of his parents. He later pleaded guilty to four counts of murder and 26 counts of attempted murder. He was sentenced to 111 years in prison without the possibility of parole.
