A Bucks County mother and daughter, Shana Selena Decree and Dominique Kiaran Decree, pleaded guilty to five consecutive life sentences as part of a negotiated plea, after slaughtering five relatives, including three children, in a “murder-suicide pact.”

The murders took place on Feb. 23 and Feb. 25, 2019. The mother and daughter duo killed 2 of Shana Decree’s children – Naa’Irah Smith, 25, and Damon Decree Jr., 13, as well as her sister, 42-year-old Erika Allen, and her two 9-year-old twins, Imani and Erika Allen.

″Autopsies determined Erika Allen, Imani Allen, Damon Decree and Naa’Irah Smith were killed by homicidal asphyxia and Jamilla Campbell was killed by homicidal ligature strangulation,″ a statement from the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office read. ″All five deaths were all ruled homicides.″⠀

The five bodies were discovered inside their Morrisville apartment on Feb. 25, 2019. At the time, Shana painted a false narrative to police stating that her sister’s boyfriend and two unknown males broke into her apartment and were responsible for the murders. But later, told investigators that all the victims, including the children, “wanted to die.” ⠀

Multiple relatives, who believed the murders may have been part of a ritualistic cult ceremony, attended the court hearing with Damon Decree Sr. The Father’s testimonial touched base on the pain he’s suffering after losing his son Damon Jr., and first-born Dominique to prison.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Shana and Dominique will each serve life in prison for five counts of first-degree murder and one count of criminal conspiracy. Several mental health professionals deemed Shana and Dominique Decree as mentally ill at the time of the murders. According to District Attorney Matt Weintraub, this is the only reason the duo didn’t face the death penalty.