On Friday, officials responded to a call from a man confessing to the murder of his twin daughters inside a luxury condominium complex in St. Charles, Illinois. When the police arrived, they found 16-year-old twin girls, Brittany and Tiffany Coffland, and their father, Randall R. Coffland, with fatal gunshot wounds to the head, in an incident officials describe as an apparent murder-suicide.
“I just shot and killed my two kids and I shot my wife, and I’m going to kill myself now,” Randall told the dispatcher who asked for his location. “I’m going to kill myself now too. My two girls are dead, and I’m killing myself,” Randall added, after providing his address.
According to reports, while the twins’ parents were married, they were living separately, for a reason that has yet to be revealed.
Moments after Randall called the police, another call came in, this time from his wife.
“Come here now! Oh my God, my husband shot my kids! My daughters are dead!” she said.
Just last month, officials responded to a domestic disturbance between the two at an unreleased address. Although police say “nothing physical happened,” the report led officials to believe Friday’s incident may have stemmed from a similar incident. During the 911 call by Randall, he could be heard saying, “I want you to live and suffer like I did,” officials believe the comment was directed towards his estranged wife, Anjum Coffland, who was also shot and transported to Delnor Community Hospital where she remains in stable condition.
“Our preliminary investigation has led us to believe this was an isolated domestic event,” Deputy Chief David Kintz said on Sunday. “This was a tragic and horrific event. Three lives were lost and another was injured.”
A candlelight vigil was held for the family in downtown St. Charles, reports state.
