PLANT CITY, Fla. — A quiet neighborhood has been rocked by an unimaginable tragedy after four members of the same family, including two young children, were found dead in a devastating shooting that authorities are investigating as a possible quadruple homicide. The heartbreaking case has left the entire community in shock.
Police say the victims include 28-year-old Hailey Dempsey, her two children — a 4-month-old infant and a 4-year-old child — and the children’s 55-year-old grandmother. All four victims suffered fatal gunshot wounds. A third child was also found inside the home but was not physically harmed, adding another layer of emotion to an already tragic scene.
Officers responded to a disturbance call on May 3 at a residence in the 300 block of West Tever Street. When they arrived, they discovered the two young children dead inside the home. Hailey Dempsey was found critically injured and rushed to a nearby hospital, where she later died from her wounds.
As the investigation unfolded, authorities located the children’s grandmother at a separate residence connected to the case. She was also found deceased, confirming the scale of the tragedy. Detectives quickly began working to piece together the timeline and understand how the events unfolded across multiple locations.
Police have identified Jay Dempsey as a person of interest in the case. While he was initially detained, he was later released as investigators continued gathering evidence. Authorities believe he may have been in a wooded area before retrieving a vehicle linked to the case and leaving the scene. His current whereabouts remain unknown.
Investigators are urging anyone in the area to review surveillance or doorbell camera footage from the morning of May 3, especially between 5:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Officials stress that even the smallest detail could help solve the case. As the investigation continues, the Plant City community is left grieving the loss of innocent lives and hoping for answers in the wake of this devastating tragedy.