LINCOLN -- Several branches of the Harris and Gee family trees extend deep into southwestern Florida, where the task force investigating the Beason family slayings made what appears to be its final arrest.

All four suspects, including accused murderers and brothers Christopher J. Harris and Jason L. Harris, lived in Florida at one point. So did Chris Harris' ex-wife Nicole Gee, daughter of Rick Gee, one of the victims.

The arrests of Jennifer Earnest, Jason's fiancee, and Earnest's mother, Sara A. Duncan, for allegedly impeding the investigating surprised some in Florida who know the suspects.

Dale Earnest, Jennifer's father and Duncan's ex-husband, said Friday that he got a phone call from Jessica Earnest on Tuesday but had not heard of this week's arrests until a reporter called.

"She did say something about Jason's brother had been arrested, and they kept telling the police, 'No he couldn't have done it' and on and on," he said. "She was scared."

As for his ex-wife, Dale Earnest was completely surprised at the charges.

"Sara's always been a very mild-mannered person," Earnest said. "She's never been in trouble. I'm not too sure she's even had a speeding ticket."

Probe goes to Florida

On Sept. 25 -- four days after the bodies were found -- Duncan, 43, of Sarasota, Fla., was in Illinois and allegedly gave two state police special agents a false alibi for Chris Harris, the brother of her daughter's fiancee. (Her daughter is accused of doing the same on the same day.)

Early Wednesday, after she had returned to Florida and her job at an insurance agency, police again spoke to Duncan at her Sarasota condo. Earnest and the Harris brothers were already in custody.

Later that day, a warrant was issued in Logan County for Duncan's arrest and she was taken into custody. The judge ordered that Duncan, a Florida native, have no contact with Tabitha Gee, 3, the lone survivor of the slayings.

Other family ties

It appears Earnest spent much of her youth in southwestern Florida before moving to Central Illinois with Jason Harris within the last few years. They now live in Armington and have a young daughter, who authorities say is in the care of a relative.

The Harris brothers' mother lives in Sarasota County, according to their stepmother Debbie Harris, who lives with their father in Logan County. She could not be reached for comment.

Nicole Gee lived with Chris in a rented home in Nokomis, Fla., in Sarasota County in 2001 and 2002, according to their landlord, Ian Coffey.

Their first child, who is now about 9 years old, lived with them in the two-bedroom home, located about a mile from the beach, he said. Chris moved out at some point, and Nicole Gee was evicted around November 2002 after missed rent payments, Coffey said.

They divorced in 2007 after moving to Logan County. They have since reconciled and recently had a son.

"I had qualms about moving such a young couple in," Coffey said. "But (Chris) just seemed like a nice guy, like he was trying to do the right thing, like he was trying to step up to the plate (and be a good father).

"I never saw any type of volatile relationship with them," he said. "They seemed very much in love."

None of the accused appear to have extensive or violent criminal convictions in Logan or Sarasota counties. A misdemeanor battery charge against Jason Harris in 2006 in Florida was dropped. He received probation and some jail time after pleading guilty to perjury in a 2007 case in Logan County.

Sarasota (Fla.) Herald-Tribune staff writer Todd Ruger contributed to this report.