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Plant City quadruple murder investigation update
New clues in a Plant City quadruple murder investigation reveal the type of evidence investigators obtained through a search warrant in the case. FOX 13's Carla Bayron reports.
PLANT CITY, Fla. - A month ago, a mother, Hailey Dempsey, her two young children and Hailey's mother, Valerie Deboe, were found shot to death in Plant City, which has left the community shaken and angered because a suspect has not yet been identified or charged.
A newly released search warrant reveals how their bodies were found, as well as pieces of evidence removed from Hailey's and her husband Jay Dempsey’s home, including firearms, ammunition and blood swabs.
Plant City murder investigation
What we know:
Shortly before 8:00 a.m. on May 3, Plant City police responded to West Tever Street after getting a 911 call about someone screaming in the area.
In the yard, close to the fence, they found Hailey Dempsey with a gunshot wound to her head, lying on top of one of her children, who was covered in blood.
Hailey’s second child was lying next to her, also with a gunshot wound to the head. Her third child, who was unharmed, was lying on top of her.
Surveillance footage
Dig deeper:
The warrant explains before their deaths, surveillance footage captured the family knocking on a neighbor's door and leaving when they couldn't get an answer. Audio captured the children crying.
In the warrant, we learn that on May 1 — two days before the shooting — Hailey had called the police because she was involved in a domestic disturbance with Jay. It doesn't go into any detail as far as what happened or what the result was.
After discovering that Hailey was the same woman who'd made the 911 call days prior, detectives went to Hailey and Jay's home, where her mother Valerie Deboe's car was located.
Detectives spoke to Valerie's husband, Kirby Deboe, who said his wife went to Hailey's house to help her move, but he hadn't heard from her in a while.
Inside the home, on the second floor, they found Valerie dead with a gunshot wound to the head.
Search warrant evidence
The search warrant details the pieces of evidence that were taken from the home, including:
- Blood swabs
- Multiple guns and ammunition
- $4,400 in U.S. currency
- Laptops and cell phones
Suspicious activity before murders
What they're saying:
Neighbors said they saw Jay acting suspiciously prior to the murders.
"The night before everything happened, we noticed him [Jay] putting on a bulletproof vest and then loading a large duffel bag into the trunk of his car," John Czarniak said.
It's a case that has shaken the community, fueling a push for justice.
FOX 13 reached out to the Plant City Police Department for comment, and they said they don't have any additional information at this time.
Questions remain unanswered
What we don't know:
As of right now, Jay Dempsey has not been arrested or charged in the case. It's not clear if police have made contact with him since the tragedy.
The Source: This article was written with information from a search warrant acquired through the Circuit Court of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County, neighbors in the area of the crime scene, and the Plant City Police Department.