John Alan Day, a nine-year-old White male, tragically lost his life on October 18, 1984, in Evansville, Indiana. His death was part of a horrific event that unfolded within his own home. On that morning, his mother, Candace Day, returned from her job at the post office to a scene of unimaginable horror. Upon entering the family's residence, she discovered her husband, James Alan Day, deceased in a living room chair from a gunshot wound.
The tragedy deepened as she moved through the house, finding each of their six children dead in their beds.
The subsequent investigation revealed a chilling sequence of events. James Alan Day, 36, had systematically shot and killed all of his children as they slept before turning the gun on himself. The victims of this devastating act were Michael, 15; Bart, 14; John, 9; Stephen, 8; Christopher, 7; and Laura, 6. Each child had been shot once in the head with a. 22-caliber firearm. The incident was determined to be the first mass murder in Evansville's history.
There were no signs of forced entry into the home, leading investigators to conclude that James Day was the sole perpetrator of the killings. As he was deceased, there were no arrests or suspects to pursue. The motive for the murder-suicide was not definitively established, as no note was left behind. However, reports indicated a history of marital problems and domestic violence. The couple had previously separated and filed for divorce, although the proceedings were later dropped. Neighbors reported that James Day had been violent in the past and had previously threatened his wife with a gun, painting a grim backdrop to the tragic loss of John Alan Day and his five siblings at the hands of their own father.
