In the quiet neighborhood of the 3000 block of South 46th Terrace in Kansas City, Kansas, a devastating scene unfolded on the afternoon of September 6, 2016. A teenage girl returned home from school to a tragedy that would forever alter her life; she discovered the bodies of her mother, 45-year-old Caucasian female Jennifer Combs, and her stepfather. Police were called to the residence around 2:40 p.m.
and later confirmed that both individuals had died from gunshot wounds in what was determined to be a murder-suicide.
Jennifer, a dedicated juvenile detentions officer with the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Department, was fatally shot by her husband, Irvin Dale Combs, who then turned the gun on himself. The incident left the community and Jennifer’s colleagues in shock. Law enforcement officials took measures to intercept Jennifer's younger son, who was seven at the time, to spare him the traumatic discovery his older sister had made.
In the wake of the tragedy, those who knew Jennifer remembered her as a special and outgoing person who easily made friends. She was a mother to her 17-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son. A candlelight vigil was held in her honor by law enforcement officials, during which her daughter was presented with an American flag to commemorate her mother's service. The loss was deeply felt by her family, friends, and coworkers, who mourned the sudden and violent end to her life.
