Virginia Man Kills Family, One Son Survives

The Sunday paper still sits in the mailbox at the house where sheriff's deputies found three people dead in the basement.

Sgt. Ellis Austin with the Henry County Sheriff's Office says, "We're trying to find out why. As far as who shot who, we do know that."

Deputies say William Carter Sr, called his younger son, to come home Saturday evening. The 22-year-old is a student at Radford University.

"He got him to come home, tricked him to go down into the basement, and shot him in the back," says Sgt. Austin.

Timothy survived the first shot, and authorities believe his dad shot him again while he tried to escape. He made it to a neighbor's house across the street.

Sgt. Austin adds, "Then William Carter shot himself."

The sheriff's office got the 911 call around midnight.

They arrived to a smoked out house with William Carter, his wife Bonnie, and older son William Jr, dead in the basement.

Corey Strother, a family member, says "We're trying to see what we could do, as a family. And come together and ask everybody to keep us in their prayers."

Family and friends say the Carters were a very loving family, so they have no idea why this happened. But, they did indicate that there was a note left.

Sgt Austin says, "They're still trying to figure out why, right now, we don't know why."

William Senior was a retired Goodyear employee, his wife was a retired school teacher, and William Junior worked in health care.

Strother says, "Nobody has any clues, loving family. I can't imagine."

Neighbors say they are stunned especially since the carters frequently went to church and were known for their generosity.

Timothy Carter is in fair condition at a North Carolina hospital.