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Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson's in-laws and his 11-year-old nephew were found dead in what authorities believe was a murder-suicide on Monday (July 26), TMZ Sports reports.
Jack and Terry Janway, the parents of Johnson's wife, Chandra, and their grandson, Dalton Janway, were all found dead at a home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, just after 9:00 p.m. Local police received a 911 call from a woman who reported a person had a gun before hanging up.
Authorities said Terry Janway was considered to be the suspect but a motive has not yet been determined, nor whether she was the person who made the 911 call, amid an ongoing investigation. Police said a body was found in the hallway and a gunshot was heard from inside the home when officers arrived at the scene.
The other two bodies were located shortly after and all three individuals were reported to have died from gunshot wounds.
Johnson and Chandra Janway have been married since 2004 and share two daughters, Genevieve and Lydia. The seven-time Cup Series champion is widely considered to be one of the sport's greatest drivers, having tied Hall of Famers Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. for the most Cup championships in NASCAR history, as well as having won his first five consecutively.
Johnson returned to NASCAR as a part-owner and driver for Legacy Motor Club, formerly Petty GMS, after a brief retirement during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, at which point he competed in the IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing. The California native is scheduled to compete in NASCAR's first-ever Chicago street race this weekend.
If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.