San Francisco’s former deputy police chief and her husband had experienced serious marital difficulties before he fatally shot her and their daughter, a longtime family friend told the California Post.
Ann Mannix, 65, and her daughter, Katie, 24, were killed Sunday evening at their Marin County home. Authorities said Kevin Mannix, 68, then died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The family friend, who had known Ann for more than six decades, said the former police official had confided that her marriage was troubled.
“We talked about her relationship with her husband,” the friend said. “It wasn’t great.” However, she said she was not aware that Ann and Kevin had separated.
The friend said the violence was unimaginable. “I can’t imagine having that happen or doing that. So it caught me by surprise.”
She remembered Ann as a devoted mother who had been looking forward to becoming a grandmother. “She was a wonderful mother. She had high hopes of being a grandmother soon,” the friend said. “You know, she was a friend to everybody.”
The pair first met at age 5, when they lived across the street from one another in San Francisco’s Richmond District.
“We were best friends. We were playmates. We learned everything together,” the friend said.
Their bond lasted for decades, even as they lived in different states. They spoke roughly twice a week, and Ann made her most recent visit during the summer.
“We went to dinner. We have a pool, so we swam. We just hung out and just kind of spent time together,” she recalled.
The friend described Ann as compassionate, intelligent and resilient, with a strong sense of humor and exceptional athletic ability dating back to childhood.
“She was super athletic. She always did everything better than me growing up. She was funny, you know. She was very civic-minded.”
Katie was studying to become a nurse and, according to the friend, shared her mother’s commitment to helping others. “Katie was fun, silly, the life of the party.”
Marin County sheriff’s deputies were sent to a home on Strawberry Circle after receiving a 5:03 p.m. report of gunfire. The residence is located in Strawberry, an unincorporated community east of Mill Valley.
Deputies arrived within minutes and found the caller outside the home and safe. After securing the area, they entered the residence and discovered three people dead.
NEXT UP: Paranormal Investigator Reveals Every Borough’s Most Haunted Site
Detectives worked at the scene Sunday night as the investigation continued. The sheriff’s office said there was “no known threat to the community.”
San Francisco Police Chief Derrick Lew informed department employees of the deaths Sunday night, saying he was delivering the news “with heavy hearts.”
“Please keep their family in your prayers. BSU is available to all members who may need it during this difficult time,” Lew wrote, referring to the department’s behavioral science unit.
Ann had a pioneering career with the San Francisco Police Department. She became the department’s first female SWAT officer and later its first woman to lead the team.
She was promoted to deputy chief of the Field Operations Bureau in 2018 and assumed command of the Special Operations Bureau the next year, according to department records.
Kevin retired from the department in June 2018 after 27 years of service.
In a farewell letter published by Taraval Station the following month, he reflected on the relationships he had formed during his career and his plans to spend more time with family and friends.
“I leave the SFPD, but I am taking your friendships with me forever,” he wrote.
The San Francisco Police Officers Association mourned the family in a statement following the shooting.
“The tragic loss of retired Deputy Chief Ann Mannix, her daughter Katie, and retired Sergeant Kevin Mannix in a suspected murder-suicide has left our entire SFPD family reeling,” the union said.
“There are no words that can fully capture the depth of this tragedy, nor are there simple answers to the painful questions we are all asking.”
The association praised Ann as a trailblazer and acknowledged the officers who had worked alongside Kevin during his decades on the force.
“To see their lives, and the life of their 24-year-old daughter Katie, end in such a horrific and senseless manner is a burden that weighs heavily on every officer, active and retired,” the statement said.
Ann’s close family friend said her loss would continue to be deeply felt.
“She was just a wonderful, wonderful person, and she will be deeply missed by many.”
CONTINUE READING: Podcaster’s Disturbing Confession: Talks Openly About Serial Killer Fantasies
