12-Year-Old Girl, Man And Woman Found Shot To Death In Their Beds In 'Crime Of Passion'

A 12-year-old girl, a man, and a woman were found fatally shot in their beds at an Arkansas home.

Their bodies were discovered during a welfare check Monday. Investigators said they do have a person of interest but did not reveal further details.

The three victims were identified as JaTerrance Wright, Shalonda Barton and Barton's 12-year-old daughter, whose name was not immediately released, according to KIRO 7 News.

Officials believe the two adults and the child were shot while they were in their beds inside the Madison home.

Sheriff Bobby May of the St. Francis County Sheriff's Office said a 4-year-old child was also in the house at the time of the shooting but was unharmed.

"We do have a report that there was a four-year-old at the home and she was taken to the grandmother's house ... the mother of one of the victims," the sheriff was quoted as saying by WREG News Channel 3.

May said deputies responded to the house after receiving a call to perform a wellness check from the mother of one of the dead adults at around 1 a.m. Monday.

While conducting the welfare check, a deputy knocked on the door several times but nobody answered, May said.

"Ultimately, he went through a window and found three bodies," May said, according to Action News 5.

The incident was described as a "crime of passion" and a person of interest was identified. However, further information about what spurred the killings was not released.

"We do have a person of interest that we're looking at," May continued. "We have some very good forensics that I think will ultimately wrap the case up."

"We're going to solve this," he added.

A statement was released by the Forrest City School District confirming the 12-year-old girl was a student of the district.

"The Forrest City School District is saddened at learning of the tragic loss of a FCSD student and her family members overnight," read the statement. "The district is providing administrative support and additional mental health professionals at our campuses to assist our counselors with providing mental health services to students and staff."

Neighbors were shocked to hear about the triple homicide. "I couldn't believe it," said a neighbor, Minnie Dillard.

"I would never... you know... never think something like this would just hit so close to home," said another neighbor.

Tia Burton told WREG News Channel 3 that her children traveled to school with the deceased girl on the same bus.

"She was very nice," Burton told the outlet. "She was bigger than all the other kids so she let the other kids get on the bus first every morning. And I see this little girl every morning with a smile on her face."