In the quiet town of Whitesboro, Oklahoma, a devastating series of events unfolded, leaving a family shattered and a community in shock. Edith Custard, a 57-year-old woman, lost her life on March 3, 2014, in a tragedy that would be ruled a double murder and suicide. Her death, alongside that of her 80-year-old stepfather, Lawrence Schlienz, was the result of a violent outburst from her own son.
The LeFlore County Sheriff's Office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation pieced
together the grim timeline. They determined that 30-year-old Jacob Custard was the perpetrator of the horrific incident. According to authorities, Jacob, who had a history of mental health problems and had reportedly stopped taking his medication, killed his mother and stepfather. In an attempt to conceal the crime, he then set their house ablaze. The fire caused extensive damage to the property, making it difficult for investigators to determine the exact cause and origin of the blaze.
Inside the charred remains of the home, law enforcement found the bodies of Edith Custard, Lawrence Schlienz, and Jacob Custard. The investigation concluded that after murdering his mother and stepfather and starting the fire, Jacob Custard took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Due to the severity of the fire, the exact cause of death for Edith Custard and Lawrence Schlienz could not be definitively pinpointed by the medical examiner, though it was clear their deaths were homicides. The case was closed as a murder-suicide, with Jacob Custard identified as the sole suspect, leaving no possibility of arrests.
