A domestic violence shooting in Hilliard left three women dead, including the shooter’s wife, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law.
HILLIARD, Fla. — A grieving family member is speaking out after a tragic domestic violence shooting in Hilliard left three women dead.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office reports that 34-year-old Christopher Rowell shot and killed three women in a Hilliard home on the night of July 24 before turning the gun on himself. Rowell was discovered with a faint pulse and later passed away at the hospital.
The victims’ cousin, Steven Hallmark, informed First Coast News on Friday that the three women were Rowell’s wife Marissa Rowell, her sister Alisha Fogarty, and their mother Sandra Fogarty.
Hallmark said he’s still struggling to process the violence—and what the family lost.
“He took the lives of three beautiful women,” Hallmark said. “This selfish act that he has done…he did not deserve them.”
Hallmark said he first learned about the shooting Thursday night, but it wasn’t until Friday morning that he realized who the shooter was.
“I was at work listening to the radio and I heard the shooter’s name and as soon as I heard his name my heart just skipped, I knew instantly,” Hallmark said.
Hallmark told First Coast News that the victims were preparing to leave. He stated that Marissa intended to leave her husband and take her daughter with her. Their belongings were already packed in a U-Haul.
“My aunt just bought a house and they were in the process of moving, Marissa was going to be leaving him, taking the kid,” said Hallmark.
Steven said the shooter, Marissa’s husband, had a pattern of troubling behavior.
“[He] wouldn’t be involved with the child,” Hallmark said. “He’d obviously be going out drinking with his friends, come home at midnight, two, three in the morning, always yelling and threatening…cussing at Marissa, trying to kick her out of the house.”
The only survivor inside the home was Marissa’s five-year-old daughter. According to deputies, she managed to escape the house after the shooting and ran to a neighbor’s home, where 911 was called.
Hallmark told First Coast News the shooter’s mother now has custody of the girl, and that his family has not been allowed contact.
“My aunt Sandy, she gave up her whole life up in Tennessee to move down here to take care of them, and the baby, she’s always wanted a grandkid,” said Hallmark. “Marissa was just so happy to be a mom. She was so happy. That’s all. She’s always wanted a baby.”
Hallmark said the tragedy highlights the importance of speaking up about domestic violence.
“Go get help, don’t just sit on it,” Hallmark said. “Don’t keep it in. Go speak to someone and get it out there because something like this happening is devastating.”
A GoFundMe has been launched by the victims’ family to help cover cremation and memorial costs.
