MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA: The young nephew of NASCAR icon Jimmie Johnson tragically fell victim to a brutal shooting that rocked the community in June.
The incident unfolded inside the family's Oklahoma home, where tragedy struck in a series of harrowing events. The latest details from the autopsy shed light on the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
On June 26, a 22-second phone call to authorities hinted at the impending horror, with a distressed voice conveying the chilling message, "There is somebody here with a gun."
Responding officers arrived at the scene, only to discover a scene of unimaginable sorrow. Dalton Janway, just 11 years old, had been fatally shot in the head and chest. Alongside him lay his grandfather, Dr Jack Lee Janway, 69, who had succumbed to a single gunshot wound to the chest.
How did Jimmy Johnson's nephew die?
The official autopsy report, released by Oklahoma's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, confirmed that both Dalton and Dr Janway were victims of homicide.
The tragedy took an even more grim turn when it was revealed that Terry Lynn Janway, the grandmother and Dalton's assailant, had taken her own life after committing the heinous act. The autopsy disclosed that Terry suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest, which was ruled a suicide.
The report also mentioned that Terry had sustained "blunt force injuries," hinting at a potential struggle or tumultuous emotions leading up to the shocking event. In a surprising twist, the toxicology report indicated that Terry was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the shooting, dispelling any initial assumptions about substance-related factors.
Motive behind Jimmy Johnson's nephew's death
The motive behind Terry Janway's violent actions remains a puzzle, leaving a community in shock and mourning. Reports suggest that Terry had battled depression, potentially compounded by the tragic loss of her 27-year-old son, Jordan, in a skydiving accident in 2014. Jordan's parachute failed to deploy after a mid-air collision, leading to his untimely death.
The events of June 26 unfolded with an eerie phone call to the Muskogee Police Department. The 911 call hinted at a disturbance and a gun, but the caller disconnected before providing further information.
Upon arrival, law enforcement officers discovered a scene of horror, with one victim found in the hallway and another gunshot ringing out from within the house. Further investigation revealed two more bodies inside the home.
Jimmie Johnson's decision to withdraw from the NASCAR Cup Series event in Chicago underscored the gravity of the situation, as the racing community rallied around him. The NASCAR family expressed their condolences and support for Chandra and Jimmie Johnson, acknowledging the profound loss they were facing.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Chandra's sister Marianne "MJ" Janway expressed her grief on social media, capturing the heartbreak that had befallen the family.
Dr Jack Lee Janway, a respected therapist who operated the Janway Chiropractic & Acupuncture Clinic in Muskogee, was remembered as a devoted family man, Christian, and healer.
Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who has won the Daytona 500 twice, has been married to Chandra Janway since 2004.
