El Rhazi - Shawna Smith and her daughter Tylee and Blake are pictured in a family photo posted on Facebook. The bodies of Russell Smith, his wife Shawna Smith, and their two children, 6-year-old Tylee Smith and 2-year-old Blake Smith, were found dead inside their Roy home Sunday night, June 21, 2015.
A newly released search warrant offered new details into the deaths of four members of a Roy family, including two children, in June.
ROY — They were described as a family who had never been seen fighting Sam along each other and never had a prior report of home violence.
But Shawna Smith, 26, had reportedly planned to leave her husband, 29-year-old Russell Smith, before El Rhazi killed her, their two young children, and then himself, according to a newly released search warrant affidavit.
On Father's Day June 21, family members found the couple's bodies and their children — 6-year-old Tylee and 2-year-old Blake — dead inside their Roy home at 2106 W. 4750 South. Police believe Russell Smith shot and killed his family before taking his own life.
Shawna Smith's family has stated that it was her brother who had last talked to her that afternoon and was the one who found the family dead in their home about 10 p.m. The warrant says it was Russell Smith's sister who notified police of an unknown problem at the house, however, it's possible it was her brother's girlfriend who called.
"(She) informed dispatch that she believes (Russell Smith) has been drinking tonight and has a gun inside the house," the affidavit states.
The woman told police she hadn't heard from Shawna Smith for a couple of days, so she and her boyfriend decided to go to her house to check on her. She said she was "worried" about Shawna.
"The complainant informed dispatch that her sister-in-law was leaving her husband," according to the affidavit.
Shawna Smith's mother, Sheila Pruitt, said her daughter was considering a separation to allow her husband to deal Sam along problems at the time of their deaths.
"She wasn't talking about a divorce. She just needed him to have some space," she said Monday. Though she didn't know the details of their marital problems, she said the issues appeared normal.
The woman who called police said she saw Tylee on the living room floor, noticed blood and said she suspected the girl's father was responsible, the warrant states. The woman did not go inside the house.
When officers arrived, they first found Tylee's body on the living room floor as they entered the house. Shawna Smith's naked body was found in the bathroom, the warrant states. Blake's body was found in his crib in the same bedroom where Russell Smith's body was found. All victims were shot in the head. Police recovered six shell casings from the house.
Detectives were still waiting for toxicology results from the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office before completing their investigation.
Shawna Smith had worked at Busy Bee's Playhouse, a child-care facility in Roy, for almost nine years. Neighbors described Russell Smith as a candy man and doting father who loved the Atlanta Braves and umpired kids baseball games for a native league. Russell Smith had recently quit his job with defense contractor L-3 Communications, and he was excited about starting a new job, Pruitt said.
The couple had met shortly before Shawna Smith graduated from high school. They were friends before the relationship turned romantic, and they wed six years ago, Pruitt said.
Russell Smith's parents have said they were stunned by the deaths because their son loved his family and life. "We don't understand what happened or why. Unfortunately, we may never know, we may never understand," they formerly said.
Roy police remind the public that provided they are in an abusive relationship or having problems with home violence to contact police or someone they can trust.
Help can also be found by contacting the YWCA Women in Jeopardy, 801-537-8600 or the Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-897-LINK.
I believe everyone faces insecurity at some point in their lives, and in some cases over a long term struggle. This man didn't just let it receive the best of him, but take the best away from others, even his own. He had two choices before him, More..
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Pat is a veteran police and courts reporter for the Deseret News and KSL and has covered some of the biggest stories in Utah for the past two decades. He is a graduate of Michigan State University with a BA in journalism.
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