Picture Credit: Twitter
NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson spoke about his family’s devastating loss for the first time through a post on Instagram on Saturday, explaining that the family had lost both of his in-laws Jack and Terry Janway and nephew Dalton Janway. The three lost their lives in a tragic double murder-suicide on June 26th. The driver said that the family was devastated by the news and thanked the fans for their outpouring of compassion and love during what is no doubt a period that no family ever wants to go through.
Jimmie Johnson pulled out of a race after the tragedy happened, but it wasn’t until Saturday that he made any kind of public statement, most likely to spend time with grieving family and leave the media for later. The situation was particularly devastating for his wife, Chandra Janway, who lost both her parents and her nephew. Chandra and Jimmie have been married since 2004 and have two daughters. The statement uploaded by Johnson’s team was very brief and only outlined what happened and thanked fans for compassion, sending a message that Johnson and his family value their privacy during this period of grief.
NASCAR said, “We are saddened by the tragic deaths of members of Chandra Johnson’s family. The entire NASCAR family extends its deepest support and condolences during this difficult time to Chandra, Jimmie and the entire Johnson & Janway families.”
However, Johnson’s statement read, “Our family is devastated by the profound loss of Lynn, Jack and Dalton Janway. We have been humbled by the outpouring of love and support during this unthinkably sad time and remain grateful for all of your compassion.”
Police says Terry Janway murdered husband and grandson before sui cide
Muskogee Police has also opened up on the incident and stated that on June the 16th, Terry Janway fatally shot her husband and grandson before committing suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The 911 call which alerted the police to an ongoing situation was made after a Muskogee woman saw a person with a gun in the Janway household, though they were not identified at the time.
Police body cam showed the grisly scene when officers discovered Jack Janway’s body. A gunshot wound was also heard which was later determined to be the self-inflicted suicide shot by Terry Janway. Police discovered Jack’s body in the hallway and Terry’s body on the couch. A further search led to the body of Dalton being discovered.
