Suggested edit: The Daily Progress - Monday April 1, 1940
FOUR SLAIN IN MURDERS AND SUICIDE.
Harry W Morris Kills Estranged Wife and Parents.

Two men and two women were killed last night at Kent’s Store,In Fluvanna County, about ten miles from Palmyra, in what authorities today described as a triple-murder and suicide.The victims:
J R Kirpatrick, about 60, prominent Fluvanna merchant and proprietor Of a large country store; His wife, Mrs. Elnora Kirkpatrick; Mrs. Lucille K Morris, daughter of the Kirkpatricks; Harry Walker Morris, estranged husband of Mrs. Lucille Morris.
According to Commonwealth Attorney Harold Stephenson of Fluvanna County. Morris shot his father-in-law four times in the heart With a 22-calibre target pistol, his mother-in-law twice in the heart, his Wife once in the heart, and once in the stomach, and then wounded himself fatally in the head.
The four victims were found lying on the floor of the Kirkpatrick home between 10 and 10:30 P.M. by one of the Kirkpatrick sons, John Boone Kirkpatrick. Leaning over the bodies was small Barbara Anne Morris, five-year-old daughter of Harry and Lucille Morris. Their other two children, Milas, three, and John, a three-month-old infant, were also in the house, Stephenson reported.
An inquest was conducted last night by Dr. J A Yeateman of Fork Union, who rendered a verdict of triple murder and suicide. According to the Fluvanna Commonwealth Attorney, the Morrises had been having marital difficulties for some time and Mrs. Morris had recently left her husband and filed divorce proceedings.
Last night Morris went to the Kirkpatrick home with his brother, who remained outside in an automobile. The brother heard several shots, Stephenson said, and rushed for help. When he returned, the victims had already been discovered by Kirkpatrick’s son. Authorities estimate they had been dead for about half an hour.
The Commonwealth’s Attorney said funeral arrangements for the four victims have not been completed.
Morris, who was a Richmond beverage truck driver, was a native of Fluvanna County, the son of W J Morris, Fluvanna farmer and school bus driver. His wife had brought suit for divorce on charges of desertion and efforts on his part to effect a reconciliation apparently had failed, Stephenson said.
Kirkpatrick, who moved to Kent’s Store from North Carolina about 18 years ago, operated the post-office there – besides his general store.

 
The Daily Progress - Tuesday April 2, 1940
Group to attend Kirkpatrick Rites
Victims of triple murder in Fluvanna to be buried tomorrow.

Ten members of the Thomas L Rosser Camp no. 18, Spanish-American War Veterans, will attend funeral services tomorrow for J R Kirkpatrick, chaplain of the local chapter, who with his wife and daughter were the victims of a triple murder at Kent’s Store in Fluvanna County late Sunday night.
Rites for Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick and their daughter, Mrs. Lucille Kirkpatrick Morris, will be held at Byrd Chapel Methodist Church at 2 p.m. tomorrow. The local war veteran’s chapter will conduct services for Kirkpatrick at the grave.
Services for Harry Walker Morris, 30, Richmond soft drink company employee, apparently enraged over marital difficulties, shot and killed his wife and her parents and then took his own life, were to be held at 2:30 O’Clock this afternoon at Fork Union Memorial Cemetery.
The small Fluvanna community today lay stunned in the wake of its worst tragedy, involving two of the county’s best-known families.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Harold R Stephenson attributed the shooting to the fact that Mrs. Morris last week had brought action for divorce, charging her husband with desertion. Among papers found on the young man’s body were a subpoena to appear in the County Circuit Court yesterday, and a notice he would be charged prosecution costs. The Morris couple, married about eight years, had separated several months ago, Mrs. Morris going to live with her parents.
Kirkpatrick, over 60 years of age, had lived in the community about 20 years. He was postmaster there and owned and operated a general store and farm. He and Mrs. Kirkpatrick are survived by 10 children.

Contributor: George Rogers Park (47185030)