A Washington man is learning the sad truth about trusting your instincts. He thought something felt off at home, and when he returned, he found his family dead. Currently, the incident is under investigation by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and because of that, not many details have been released thus far. No names have been shared, but we do know the incident took place on Washington’s Key Peninsula. It’s currently unknown who did the shooting, but authorities are saying it was a contained event, so it was likely a murder-suicide one of the dead family members committed. No matter what, it is a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved.
Shortly before 1:30 p.m. January 27, 2026, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office was called to a home, KING-TV reported. A man said he found his wife, 24-year-old son, and family dog dead inside when he got home from work.
According to deputies, all three bodies were in the same room. A gun was also found there.
Investigators say a man came home in Vaughn to find his wife and adult son shot dead, along with the family dog. The son apparently had stayed the night. A weapon was also located in the home and there are no other people being sought in connection with this case. KOMO-TV at 5pm pic.twitter.com/EfydegQj6F
— Joel Moreno (@JoelMorenoKOMO) January 27, 2026
“It’s tragic, not only did this father lose his wife, he lost his son, and I mean, and your family dog, too,” Deputy Carly Cappetto, public information officer for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, expressed in a statement, per KING-TV.
Cappetto explained that the adult son didn’t live in the home, according to KOMO. “The mom and the dad allowed him to stay here last night, and he was struggling with some addiction and some mental health,” she said.
“When dad left to work this morning he wasn’t very comfortable with that and then decided to come home and unfortunately he came home to his wife and his adult son deceased,” she added.
In a release and video on Facebook, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office noted that the man “remains fully cooperative” as the investigation continues.
