A longtime friend of a former San Francisco deputy police chief who was killed in a suspected murder-suicide said the victim’s wife had previously spoken about difficulties in her marriage before her husband fatally shot her, their daughter and himself.
Ann Mannix, 65, was found dead on Sunday evening alongside her husband, Kevin Mannix, 68, and their youngest daughter, 24-year-old Katie.
Deputies arrived at the family’s $2 million home in Mill Valley’s Strawberry neighborhood at about 5 p.m. and discovered all three family members dead inside.
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office said its preliminary investigation indicated that the deaths were the result of a suspected murder-suicide involving a male gunman.
A close family friend, who had known Ann for more than 60 years, said Ann had confided in her about turmoil in her relationship with Kevin before the tragedy.
‘We talked about her relationship with her husband,’ she told the California Post. ‘It wasn’t great.’
The friend said, however, that the couple did not appear to be estranged.
‘We were best friends. We were playmates. We learned everything together,’ she said, adding that the Mannixes’ deaths came as a devastating shock.
Ann Mannix, 65, was found shot dead on Sunday evening alongside her husband, Kevin Mannix, 68, and their youngest daughter, 24-year-old Katie
Police arrived at the Mannixes’ $2 million home in Mill Valley’s Strawberry neighborhood at about 5 p.m. and found all three family members dead inside
A close family friend said Ann, whom she had known for more than 60 years, had spoken about turmoil in her marriage to Kevin before the tragedy
‘I can’t imagine having that happen or doing that,’ she said.
‘[Ann] was a wonderful mother. She had high hopes of being a grandmother soon. You know, she was a friend to everybody.’
The friend remembered Katie, who was studying to become a nurse, as ‘fun, silly, the life of the party.’
Katie’s cousin Brendan wrote on Facebook that she ‘had her whole life ahead of her.’
‘She was so close to following in her older sister Lauren’s footsteps and becoming a nurse. Katie was the kind of person who would send you a random text just to say she loved you or to give you encouragement when you needed it,’ Brendan wrote.
‘She had such a big heart and a way of making people feel special. It hurts knowing she won’t get to live out the dreams she was so excited about.’
Brendan described his aunt Ann as a ‘pioneer’ in the San Francisco Police Department who ‘looked out for the women coming up behind her and helped open doors for them.’
‘I’m so proud of what she accomplished and the example she set. Getting to serve as a San Francisco police officer alongside members of my family was one of the greatest honors of my life. I’ll always treasure that,’ he wrote.
The friend remembered Katie, who was studying to become a nurse, as ‘fun, silly, the life of the party’
Katie’s cousin, Brendan, wrote on Facebook that Katie ‘had her whole life ahead of her.’ He described his aunt Ann as a ‘pioneer’ in the SFPD and someone who ‘looked out for the women coming up behind her and helped open doors for them’
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‘I know I’ll carry this loss for the rest of my life. Aunt Ann and Katie, I love you both and miss you more than I can say. I find comfort knowing our Lord and Savior is holding you in His arms, free from pain and suffering.’
A former colleague of both Ann and Kevin recalled that Kevin appeared as the sort of person incapable of committing such a violent act.
‘He was very, I don’t know how to say it, but vanilla,’ retired captain Alexa O’Brien told the outlet.
‘They were an interesting couple. She had to be like six inches taller than him, and he was little. If anybody was to look at a tough person, you’d look at Ann as the tough one. That’s just how I viewed them.’
O’Brien continued on to say that Kevin wasn’t a ‘Type A personality kind of guy.’
‘When he would talk to us police officers, or if I took a class and he spoke in the class, there wasn’t anything that would strike me or give me any indication he would ever do this.
‘He had a good, easy temperament.’
San Francisco Police Chief Derrick Lew shared a message with the department announcing their deaths on Sunday, KGO reported.
Alexa O’Brien, a former colleague of both Ann and Kevin, recalled that Kevin appeared as the sort of person incapable of committing such a violent act
The San Francisco Police Officers Association issued a statement on Monday saying the ‘suspected murder-suicide has left our entire SFPD family reeling’
‘It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Ann and Kevin Mannix,’ Lew wrote.
‘Please keep their family in your prayers. BSU is available to all members who may need it during this difficult time.’
The San Francisco Police Officers Association issued a statement on Monday saying the ‘suspected murder-suicide has left our entire SFPD family reeling.’
‘Ann Mannix was a trailblazer in our department – becoming the first woman to join and lead the SWAT team, and rising to lead both the Field Operations and Special Operations Bureaus,’ the association wrote on Facebook.
‘Many worked alongside Kevin during his 27 years of dedicated service at Taraval Station and beyond.
‘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.’
Kevin retired from the SFPD in June 2018 after 27 years of service.
‘I am looking forward to a new life of leisure with family and friends. But I am a little saddened by the thought of not seeing all of you every day or at community events,’ he wrote in a letter to the Taraval Police Station at the time.
‘I will miss you all. Believe me, that is not a trite generalization… I leave the SFPD, but I am taking your friendships with me forever.’
Records show Ann served as deputy chief of the SFPD Field Operations Bureau in 2018, then led the Special Operations Bureau in 2019.
Our News Outlet has contacted the Marin County Sheriff’s Office for more information.
