'Horrible crime': 5 family members killed at home near Lake Livingston identified

POLK COUNTY, Texas – Several family members were killed Monday in a shooting in Polk County, according to authorities.

Officials said a husband and wife, their granddaughter, their granddaughter's husband and the granddaughter's infant child were found dead from apparent gunshot wounds at a house in the 3600 block of FM 3126, in Blanchard, around 10:30 a.m. No arrests have been made in connection with the shootings.

Authorities said three people were found dead outside the house and two were found inside. All appear to have been shot to death, authorities said.

“This is a horrible, horrific scene. A horrible crime,” Chief Deputy Byron Lyons, with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, said. “What I would ask is that the community will pray. This is something that we’re not used to.”

Carlos Delaney, 74, was found dead inside the house, his wife, Lynda Delaney, 72, was found dead outside, according to officials. Ashley Delaney, 27, Carlos and Lynda's granddaughter, was found dead outside with her 15-month-old child, Ranley, authorities said. Randy Horn, 54, is Ashley's husband and the father of the infant. He was found dead inside the house, according to officials.

All of the bodies were taken to a medical examiner's office in Jefferson County to determine how they died and to potentially get a better timeline of events, officials said.

Authorities said they are not looking for a suspect.

“At this point we’re not going to say what we’re working is an apparent murder-suicide, because we really want the medical examiner’s office to look at all the evidence that has been gathered to able to make a determination,” Lyons said. “I don’t want to be premature about by calling it one thing and then have to retract it.”

PHOTOS: 5 people killed in shooting at Polk County home

Officials said Ashley's mother was found unharmed inside the home. She was locked in a bedroom and is not considered a suspect, according to officials. Authorities said she went to bed Sunday night and woke up to commotion Monday morning. Authorities said she called her son, who then called police.

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Ashley Delaney

Firearms were found at the scene, but officials didn't specify what they were. Officials also said animals have been removed from the house in order for them to receive proper care.

The Sheriff’s Office said they are looking at a Facebook post Randy Horn posted earlier.

The last post on Horn’s Facebook page states, “And this is why i can't be out in the bars at night....blood on the floor!” with a picture of drops of blood on a floor.

“We are aware of the Facebook page made by Randy Horn, we are in the process of trying to determine if that actual picture that he took is part of our crime scene here or did it take place at a location that he was at last night,” Lyons said.

Multiple agencies are assisting with the investigation, including the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers.

At this time, it is not clear what led up to the shooting.

Watch the video below for the updates authorities provided Monday night:


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