CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — The suspect in the fatal shootings of a mother and her three children inside a home in Chesterfield County early Friday morning was captured in Maryland, according to authorities.
The bodies were discovered at a home in the 4200 block of Laurel Oak Road after police responded to a 911 call about a disturbance at the home just before 5 a.m.
Chesterfield Police identified the victims as 39-year-old JoAnna Cottle and her three children, 13-year-old Kaelyn Parson, and 4-year-old twins Kinsey and Jayson Cottle.
Investigators later apprehended a suspect — Cottle's former boyfriend, 35-year-old Jonah Adams — near his home in Waldorf, Maryland. Officials said Adams is the father of Kinsey and Jayson Cottle.
Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that Adams came to the house around 4 a.m. That is when those sources said Cottle called 911 after she saw him outside the home wearing a type of camouflage mask.
Police: Mother called 911 about 'possible intruder'
"Ms. Cottle, the mother of the three children, called in reference to a possible intruder. As our officers were responding, we were able to hear gunshots," Lt. Col. Chris Hensley with Chesterfield Police said. "Once the officers got on the scene, they immediately entered the residence to find the suspect was gone. And then they found the four deceased victims... all from gunshot wounds."
Burkett said officers found Cottle had previously filed for a protective order, but that it was denied by a judge. As a result, police focused their investigation on Adams and his whereabouts.
"Police were able to get information pretty quickly that Adams, from Clinton, Maryland, was in Chesterfield County around the time of the disturbance call and murders," Burkett said.
Hensley said the department coordinated with AFT agents and law enforcement in Richmond and Maryland, so officers "were able to establish surveillance upon his residence in Maryland where he was seen and taken into custody."
Detectives have warrants for Adams on four counts of first-degree murder.
It was not immediately clear if Adams had retained an attorney to represent him. The case had not been entered into Maryland's electronic court records system as of late Friday afternoon.
Neighbor: 'My husband heard three bangs'
Police urged neighbors, who are still in the process of coming to grips with the tragedy, to check their door or surveillance cameras to see if there is anything suspicious.
John Shisler, who lives one block down away from where the shooting happened, said he told officers he heard something unusual shortly before 5 a.m.
"Just thought I heard a car rolling down the road a little faster than normal for that time of night and this neighborhood," Shisler said.
Candy Hirsh said that while there was nothing out of the ordinary on her cameras, her husband told police he heard something.
"My husband heard three bangs," she said. "We thought it was breaking into cars or something."
While neighbors offered what information they could to police to aid in the investigation, they also grieved for the victims.
"I just wish this world wasn't as bad as it is," Nicole Rogers-Powell said through tears. "I'm so sorry that these babies are gone."
Burkett said it was a heavy day for family, friends, and first responders, including the 911 dispatcher who took the call and heard the shots.
"There's never an easy time when you go to someone's house and you find a homicide," Louth said. "Not that there's ever a good time, but certainly around the holidays, that makes it difficult."
If you have information about the case that could help detectives, call Chesterfield County Police at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660.
EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story stated that officers found a previous protective order on file during their investigation. However, while Cottle had previously filed for a protective order, it was denied by a judge.
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