Triple-murder suspect found dead in trailer

Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler said a man suspected in the triple fatal shooting of his ex-wife, his ex-girlfriend and his ex-girlfriend's father was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a camper trailer.

Murray Lancaster, 40, was wanted for questioning in the fatal triple shooting. No officers were hurt in trying to locate Lancaster and no officers were able to make contact with Lancaster, Beseler said.

The incident began as the Clay County Sheriff's Office responded just before 10 a.m. to an abduction at the Keeping It Classy hair salon.

Shelly Hodges of Keeping it Classy said Lancaster came in at gunpoint, took his ex-girlfriend Valorie Short and said, "We're going to get your father."

The suspect and the victim, Short, 30, then met her father, Welland "Buddy" Short in Magnolia Point Country Club West, where they were shot and killed, deputies said.

The suspect then went to the Rosemary Hill Landfill and shot and killed his ex-wife, Erica Green, deputies said.

After the shooting, Lancaster tried to make contact with family via Facebook. He also tried to go see his children, who he shared with Green, at their school. Lancaster was stopped from seeing his children, Beseler said. Then, Lancaster retreated to the trailer.

Sheriff Beseler said the motive for the shooting is likely domestic-related.

"This looks like it all originated from a domestic situation that involved his ex-wife and his current girlfriend. We will have to unravel all that in the coming days, talking to lots of witnesses, talking to people to try to solidify what the motive was, but I'm fairly certain it's going to be a domestic-style situation where divorces and child custody and things like that were involved," Beseler said.

Lancaster had been arrested for violating an injunction that Valorie Short had against him. Lancaster was arrested in March for simple battery March 15 and a no-contact order was filed against Lancaster on March 16.

"We know that there was a violation of a court order and there had been an arrest and that was working its way through the criminal justice system," Beseler said.

Lancaster is the nephew of former Clay County Sheriff Scott Lancaster and the son of former Clay County commissioner Larry Lancaster.

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