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NewsTuesday, August 28, 2007 4:10 PM CDT
Police: Man killed 3 daughters, self
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COVINGTON, Va. -- A man who had recently separated from his wife fatally shot his three daughters as they slept and then killed himself, police said Monday.

Police discovered the bodies in the Alleghany County home Monday morning after the girls' mother called police worried that she hadn't heard from them.

Police believe the shootings occurred either Saturday night or Sunday morning.

Killed were Edward Sims Jr., 41; Britney Sims, 17; Amber Sims, 14; and Morgan Sims, 8,

Inside the home, police discovered a .380-caliber handgun. Each of the victims had been shot in the head, police said.

"It appears that the children were asleep at the time of the shootings and they were found in separate rooms," Alleghany County Sheriff Dale Muterspaugh said.

Muterspaugh declined to say if police found a note or other form of explanation for the shootings.

Sims' wife recently had moved to Clifton Forge. The girls apparently had gone to their father's Jonestown Road home sometime over the weekend to visit.

"There was some sort of previous domestic issue between the parents, but there had not been any form of violence," Muterspaugh said.

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Reader comments on this story - 14 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Digs Deeper wrote on Aug 31, 2007 10:46 PM:

" Once, thats all it took, by the way it is a two way street, as women are just as equally responsible. Two children two mothers is what I have. The first cheated and allot being both young, the child's mother second did not change her own diapers let alone my son's and would rather live off of you the tax payer and me the father who by the way even after filing necessary paper work still does not get to see my son, even with the court order in place, as child support takes precedence or so I have been told. Yet I am, who is not being held responsible for my son forced to pay support, so yeah bent and wanting revenge are all in my mind and that is how I can see this person doing those acts. Justifiable, nope never said that! Just an act of desperation! "

One more thing to 'Digs Deeper'... wrote on Aug 30, 2007 4:18 PM:

" Your last comment indicates you have been married more than once and have more than one child to pay support on. Keep your 'sperm donations' in your pants and learn to say 'I don't' instead of 'I do' and you wouldn't have to worry about it. Guys like you sitting around crying about situations you put yourself into get absolutely 'ZERO' sympathy from women such as myself. "

To Digs Deeper... wrote on Aug 30, 2007 4:14 PM:

" I'm sure there is a lot to this particulare situation that nobody but the dead ex-husband and the ex-wife are knowlegable of. There are so many thoughts to what could have been going on here. My Ex had issues, and still does, that go back to his childhood. He turned to drugs and alcohol and did a lot of finger pointing, guilt tripping and pitty 'partying'. Fortunately he has straightened out, but people like this do not exactly think straight. They are very selfish. Nobody knows anything more than this man took not only his life, but his kids too. There is NO excuse for that. No matter what. I know that some woman are out to get every cent they can, but there are the ones that honestly do what they can. I would rather not have to depend on the child support I get, but I have to right now. It's not as if I brought my child into this world on my own. Are you implying that you were only a sperm donar and do not owe it to your kid(s)? "

Digs Deeper wrote on Aug 29, 2007 6:55 PM:

" Please, the courts view on men being paychecks is a fact not an opinion. Look at all the laws, if it were about making men be parents the laws would all enforce visitation with the same punitive action support recieves. Face it truth hurts, ladies. I take it you the same money hungry type my ex's are.... "

To "Digs Deeper": wrote on Aug 29, 2007 12:17 PM:

" We all know what happens when you "assume". You've proved it. "

to Digs Deeper wrote on Aug 29, 2007 10:11 AM:

" Whether he was getting cleaned or was getting visitation limited does not give him the right to kill. I have seen many mothers struggling to raise the kids because "Dad" thinks he's being taken to the cleaners. I know one guy who is supposed to pay $50 a week for his son and pay for health insurance. He has done neither in 5 years. How is that taking him to the cleaners? $50 a week doesn't go too far in the food, shelter and clothing department. He tells the boy that he would pay it if he could give it directly to the boy. "

To Digs Deeper wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:52 AM:

" You are obviously a bitter man who has gone through a divorce himself. I think it is completely disrespectful to express your opinion about divorce and the government requiring child support, ext. ext. in this situation. When you create a child, you should be finacially and emotionally responsible. Your comments are rediculous and uncalled for. Please keep them to yourself. Like it or not, that is my take on YOUR opinion. "

Digs Deeper wrote on Aug 28, 2007 9:09 PM:

" Well I assume that is the case, do I agree with this mans actions no, if you read what I wrote I said "I would be willing to bet" an opinion! Nothing More! I point out what I have seen and the reasons why in my mind people who commit acts like this do it as an act of desperation due to the courts "looking" at men as paychecks, an opinion I have heavily weighted on my wallet. Truth hurts, but lies hurt worse in the long run, fix the system and headlines like this will decrease, like it or not that is my take on what has happened. "

to digs deeper wrote on Aug 28, 2007 5:42 PM:

" There is absolutely no justifiable reason for this man to have taken the lives he helped to created. No one can say what the reason was, but you can't automatically assume that he was being "cleaned" out. What you don't realize is a divorce involves two adult ending a marriage, not ending their parenting duties. "

Our world is a sad, sad place... wrote on Aug 28, 2007 4:32 PM:

" It's always sad to hear about a situation like this. What's pathetic is the parent who takes their childrens' lives in the "if I can't have 'em, then nobody can" mentality. If only these parents realized taking the young kids' lives isn't supposed to be their choice. And how awful for the parent that is left behind. I hope she can find some sort of solace from the time she did have with them. It's just too tragic... "

Digs Deeper wrote on Aug 28, 2007 4:21 PM:

" I would be willing to bet this man was getting taken to the cleaners in divorce court. At no time in history have we seen such an increase in violence in former domestic relations that involve children. Until courts hold both parties equally responsible for the parenting and financial support equally expect the violence to continue to escalate. This all to often headline is a direct result of the failing Family Court across America, who is viewing men as paychecks and failing to address children's need for both parents to be involved in the child's life, more so than financial support. "

Kriss wrote on Aug 28, 2007 12:37 PM:

" So sad! This family is in my prayers. "

Kriss wrote on Aug 28, 2007 12:37 PM:

" So sad! This family is in my prayers. "

Mother of Two wrote on Aug 28, 2007 12:20 PM:

" May those girls Rest In Peace. "

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