Son loses entire family after father kills 6 before turning gun on himself, police say
Six people were killed in an Iowa town before the gunman fatally shot himself, according to local police.
Muscatine police said 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland killed six family members before killing himself Monday afternoon.
One of McFarland’s sons, Jonathan McFarland, is the sole survivor of the family.
Officials identified the victims as:
Lesa McFarland, 51
Ryle McFarland, 20
Ryan McFarland Jr., 13
Mark McFarland, 16
Dakota Whitlow, 32
Austin Harris, 29
At a vigil Tuesday evening at Muscatine High School, Jonathan McFarland delivered a complex message of grief, remembering both the victims and his father.
Jonathan McFarland identified the victims as his mother, sister and four brothers.
Jonathan McFarland told the crowd he was still in denial that he just lost his entire family.
“Just, it’s hard to even think that this is even real,” he said.
In a heartbreaking roll call of those lost, Jonathan McFarland paid tribute to his family.
“I just wanted to say that I will forever love and miss my mom, Lesa, my sister, Ryle, my four brothers, Dakota, Austin, Mark and Ryan,” he said.
Police say 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland of Muscatine killed six family members before killing himself.(KWQC, Muscatine County Jail)
What happened
Muscatine Police Chief Anthony Kies said the deadly shootings happened Monday in three separate locations.
At a news conference, Kies said police were called to a home at 210 Park Ave. at around noon Monday, where they found four people dead from gunshot wounds.
Kies said Ryan Willis McFarland fled the scene and was later located on Riverfront Trail near the pedestrian bridge.
Kies said Ryan Willis McFarland fatally shot himself while talking to police.
Investigators learned there may be more victims. Officers found a man dead from gunshot wounds inside a home in the 1500 block of Mill Street and another man dead at a business in the 800 block of Grandview Avenue.
School district mourns
The Muscatine Community School District confirmed Monday evening that two of the victims were district employees and two were current students.
“It is with profound sadness that we share news of a tragic incident that occurred Monday afternoon in our community involving the McFarland family,” the district said in a statement.
District officials said counselors and support resources will be available for students and staff.
The Muscatine Police Department said the investigation is ongoing. The department is being assisted by the Muscatine Fire Department, the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Criminal history
KWQC found that Ryan Willis McFarland had a criminal history, including being charged in 2011 in connection with the death of a child. He pleaded guilty to child endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor, in 2012.
Ryan Willis McFarland also faced several charges for fraudulent business practices in 2016 that included lying about how many miles were on a car he was selling by tampering with the odometer.
He pleaded guilty to two felonies of fraudulent practice and had to pay more than $58,000 in restitution.
SOURE: https://www.wdbj7.com/2026/06/03/son-loses-entire-family-after-father-kills-6-before-turning-gun-himself-police-say/?outputType=amp
News
“If only I had looked back one more time…”: The father of 12-year-old Xavier Taylor says there’s a small detail hidden in the last family photo taken that afternoon, and now he can’t stop staring at it
In the dim glow of a hospital room at University Hospital in San Antonio, where the rhythmic beeps of life-support machines formed a constant backdrop to whispered prayers, the father of 12-year-old Xavier Taylor found himself trapped in an endless…
THEY DIDN’T REALIZE IT UNTIL LATER…: Following the latest update on Xavier Taylor’s health, his best friend revealed a problem with the protective gear—and the reason why left everyone speechless
In the hushed atmosphere of Xavier Taylor’s hospital room at University Hospital in San Antonio, where the faint glow of monitors cast long shadows across the walls lined with children’s drawings, the latest medical update delivered another layer of uncertainty…
Please tell me I was wrong…: While 12-year-old Xavier Taylor was fighting for his life after being injured by a football, his family said there was an unopened text message, sent just 11 minutes before the accident
In the heavy silence of a children’s hospital room in San Antonio, where every beep of machinery served as a painful reminder of how quickly childhood joy can turn to tragedy, 12-year-old Xavier Taylor continued his courageous battle for life…
THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN…: Xavier Taylor’s father says that the latest update from the hospital wasn’t the hardest part—the real nightmare began when he counted three missed calls still on his son’s phone
In the sterile confines of a children’s hospital room in San Antonio, where the steady rhythm of monitors offered both comfort and dread, the father of 12-year-old Xavier Taylor received yet another somber medical briefing that should have been the…
No one was allowed to see this…: Doctors have just released another heartbreaking update on 12-year-old Xavier Taylor, but what has completely devastated his father is an 8-second security video from outside the bench area that the family has never seen until now
In a quiet corner of a children’s hospital in San Antonio, where the weight of unspoken fears lingers in every hallway, the family of 12-year-old Xavier Taylor received yet another devastating medical update that has left them reeling after weeks…
“THAT WAS HIS FIRST QUESTION…” After 13 days of suspense, Joey Rodriguez reportedly asked something that brought his father to tears — just five words, but no one in the room could forget them…
In the softly lit hospital room on the fourteenth floor of University Hospital in San Antonio, where machines hummed steadily and prayers had become a daily rhythm, 17-year-old Joey Rodriguez broke through thirteen days of heavy silence with a moment…
End of content
No more pages to load
