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Jimmie Johnson’s in-laws, nephew reportedly killed in apparent murder-suicide

FILE - Jimmie Johnson climbs into his car before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Feb. 16, 2020. Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson is returning to NASCAR two years after his retirement from the stock car series. Johnson bought a stake in GMS Petty Racing, a Cup team fronted by seven-time champion Richard Petty. Johnson will also run up to five races in 2023 beginning with the season-opening Daytona 500. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

(WGHP) — A NASCAR star’s family has been killed in what appears to be a murder-suicide in Oklahoma.

According to TMZ, Jimmie Johnson’s mother- and father-in-law, 68-year-old Terry and 69-year-old Jack Janway, and his 11-year-old nephew, Dalton, died in a fatal shooting on Monday, and law enforcement sources are investigating it as a murder-suicide.


A police report obtained by Nexstar’s KFOR says a 911 dispatcher received a call just after 9 p.m. Monday from a female reporting “a disturbance” and saying someone had a gun. The caller then hung up.

Police searching the home found one body in the hallway inside the front door and then heard another gunshot. While searching the rest of the home, they found the other two bodies.

“There’s no threat to the community, so it’s looking very likely that it’s a murder-suicide,” Muskogee police officer Lynn Hamlin told the Muskogee Phoenix.

Police say they believe Terry Janway was the shooter, TMZ reports, but do not know what the motive was and do not know if she was the one who called 911.

Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman told local news station KOKI that he knew the Janway family and had even been a patient of Jack Janway, who ran a successful chiropractic practice.

“It was traumatizing to find out that a long-standing family who had made so many contributions to our community were involved in this type of incident. It was even more bone-chilling to find out there was a child involved,” said Coleman. “Just knowing that it was him and his family took a different toll on me.”

Johnson has been married to Chandra Janway since 2004.

His next race was scheduled for this weekend but his team announced Tuesday that it would be withdrawing:

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has elected to withdraw the No. 84 Carvana Chevrolet from this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series event in Chicago.

The Johnson family has asked for privacy at this time and no further statements will be made.

NASCAR also issued a statement Tuesday:

“We are saddened by the tragic deaths of members of Chandra Johnson’s family. The entire NASCAR family extends its deepest support and condolences during this difficult time to Chandra, Jimmie and the entire Johnson & Janway families.”

If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached 24 hours a day by calling or texting 988, or by visiting 988lifeline.org.