Florida Murder-Suicide Over NFL TV Argument Leaves Wife Dead, Stepdaughter Critically Injured
LAKELAND, Fla. — A quiet holiday evening in Polk County erupted into a devastating tragedy this week when an argument over watching a Monday Night Football game escalated into a murder-suicide, authorities said. A local man fatally shot his wife and critically wounded his 13-year-old stepdaughter before turning the gun on himself, leaving family and neighbors reeling just days before Christmas.
According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, the violent incident unfolded late Monday night after 47-year-old Jason Kenney and his wife, Crystal Kenney, became embroiled in a dispute while watching the San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts matchup on television. Investigators say alcohol may have played a role in the disagreement, which quickly intensified.
When Crystal suggested changing the channel or ending the game, the situation took a deadly turn, deputies said. The couple’s 12-year-old son was sent to a neighbor’s home to call 911 after he heard the argument escalate and then gunshots. Responding officers found Crystal Kenney dead from a gunshot wound in the head, while her 13-year-old stepdaughter was discovered inside the home with two gunshot wounds — to the face and shoulder. The teenager was rushed to a local hospital in critical but stable condition.
Inside the house, deputies also found the couple’s 1-year-old daughter unharmed in her crib, a small relief amid the overwhelming loss.
After the shootings, authorities say Kenney fled the scene in his truck and called his sister, telling her he had “done something very bad” and that she would see it on the news. Law enforcement tracked him to his father’s property in Lake Wales, where he took refuge in a shed. When deputies attempted to persuade Kenney to surrender, they heard a single gunshot. Upon entering the shed, officers discovered he had died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigators also found a note in the family home that Crystal had written to her husband, expressing concern for his drug and alcohol use and urging him to seek help — adding a heartbreaking context to the tragedy.
Sheriff Judd described the scene as “especially horrific” given its timing during the holiday season and the impact on the surviving children, who are now in the care of their grandparents. The community has been left in shock as authorities continue to piece together the events that led to the fatal confrontation.
