Robert Winkelman, 73, died Aug. 2 at a local hospital after authorities said he shot himself as Jefferson County sheriff's deputies attempted to take him into custody following the July 25 shooting in House Springs. (Jefferson County Sheriff's Office …
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. - The man accused of fatally shooting a mother and her 17-year-old daughter during a neighborhood dispute in Missouri last month has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.
The backstory:
Robert Winkelman, 73, died Sunday, Aug. 2, at a local hospital after shooting himself in the head as Jefferson County sheriff's deputies approached to take him into custody at the scene of the July 25 shooting, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
Before his death, Winkelman had been charged with two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action. A no-bond warrant had been issued while he remained hospitalized in critical condition.
According to investigators, Winkelman walked to a neighboring residence on July 25 and confronted people there about activities at the home.
Authorities alleged that after a comment from a 38-year-old woman, Winkelman pulled out a firearm and shot her in the head.
Investigators said the woman's 17-year-old daughter then attempted to provide first aid to her mother before Winkelman allegedly shot the teenager in the head as well.
A third person was reportedly chased by Winkelman while he was armed but was not injured.
The mother and daughter later died from their injuries.
Dig deeper:
Investigators also said Winkelman had ongoing frustrations regarding activities at the neighboring residence.
According to KDSK, the victims were 38-year-old Jessica Lashly and her 17-year-old daughter, Jersey Greer. A GoFundMe page has been started to help relatives with any related expenses.
This browser does not support the GoFundMe element.
What they're saying:
"She was literally just the funniest person ever," Justice Greer said of her twin sister, Jersey, to the outlet. "She could make anybody laugh. She was really supportive about anything and everything. She could always tell when someone was sad or needed uplifting, and she was always the one to do it."
(Jefferson County Sheriff's Office)
What's next:
With Winkelman's death, the criminal case against him will not proceed.
Authorities have not released additional information about the status of the investigation.
The Source: This story is based on information released by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, including details of its investigation into the July 25 shooting and confirmation of Robert Winkelman's death. Additional reporting on the identities of the victims, their deaths, and family statements came from KSDK, which also reported on a GoFundMe established to assist the victims' relatives. This story was reported from Los Angeles.