In a tragic turn of events that shattered a quiet community, 41-year-old Kelley Kay Newlin, her husband, and their teenage son were found deceased in their home near Salem, Indiana, on Sunday, June 4, 2017. Authorities discovered the bodies after responding to a request for a welfare check at their South Beck's Mill Road residence. The call came from an individual who had been in contact with a man living with the family and grew concerned for their safety.
Upon arrival, law enforcement
officers found a grim scene. Kelley, her 58-year-old husband Danny G. Newlin, and their 14-year-old son, Austin Newlin, had all been fatally shot. Autopsies later confirmed that Danny and Austin died from multiple gunshot wounds, while Kelley had been shot once. The discovery launched a triple homicide investigation that quickly focused on a man who had been residing with the Newlin family.
The suspect was identified as 47-year-old Richard Lee Burton Jr. Evidence found at the Newlin's home strongly indicated his involvement in the killings. As police began their search for Burton, a tip led them to his pickup truck at the Blackwell Horse Camp in Monroe County, not far from Bloomington. Inside the vehicle, authorities found Burton deceased.
The Monroe County Coroner preliminarily ruled Richard Lee Burton Jr.'s death a suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. With the primary suspect in the triple homicide also deceased, the investigation concluded that Burton was responsible for the deaths of Kelley, Danny, and Austin Newlin. The motive for the tragic event was not publicly released by investigators.
