A beloved Kentucky high school volleyball coach and teacher was fatally shot by her estranged husband in a murder-suicide just weeks after filing for divorce, authorities said.
Brian Harman, 54, shot Keyata Harman, 52, at their home near Bardstown on Tuesday before taking his own life, officials told the Lexington Herald-Leader. Keyata Harman taught at Bardstown Middle School and was the head volleyball coach at Nelson County High School.
Keyata Harman filed for divorce on Oct. 15. The couple had initially separated in September of the previous year.
Bardstown City Schools Superintendent Ryan Clark told families that it was “an exceptionally sad time for our school and our community.”
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“She made lasting impressions on countless students and colleagues in her time at Bardstown Middle. Her impact will be felt for years to come,” Bardstown Middle School Principal Matt Bartley said, according to WLKY.com.
The Nelson County Sheriff’s Office said deputies found a man and a woman dead from gunshot wounds inside the home. The Nelson County Coroner’s Office identified the couple and confirmed the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide.
Neighbor Nancy Ulrich said she heard gunshots late Monday night but initially believed they had come from nearby deer hunters.
“Devastated that could have happened here and to my neighbors. It was a blow definitely,” Ulrich said. “I didn’t only consider her my neighbor, but I considered her my friend.”
