Coroner identifies family in Sunday murder-suicide

A man shot his wife and two young children Sunday afternoon inside their southeast Louisville home before turning the gun on himself, Louisville Metro Police say.

Billie Jo Hettinger, 32, was found in the basement of the home, while her children Collin Hettinger, 5, and Courtney Hettinger, 4, were found dead upstairs in their beds.

Deputy Coroner Eddie Robinson also identified Brad Hettinger, 33, who died of a single gunshot wound to the head.

What began as a response to a house fire Sunday afternoon soon turned into an investigation of arson and murder-suicide.

Homicide Unit Lt. Todd Kessinger would not comment on what led up to the shootings of Hettinger and the two children, citing the ongoing investigation.

“The only reason that we’re not willing to release it at this point is of the other witnesses that need to be interviewed," he said at a Monday news conference. "We don’t want to do anything that would mess that interview up.”

Kessinger said, to his knowledge, there was no past history of domestic violence.

Louisville Metro Police said the man intentionally set the small fires after he shot his family in the house in the 13000 block of Saratoga Springs Place. Kessinger declined to speculate on a reason for the arson until the investigation ends.

“We certainly have our opinions," he said.

The Metro Arson Bureau continues to investigate the blaze.

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Jeffersontown Fire Chief Sean Dreisbach said though the home was filled with smoke, flames were limited to small spot fires in the basement and the first and second floors. The fires were extinguished within about 10 minutes, Dreisbach said.

Deputy Coroner Robinson said Hettinger and her two children suffered thermal injuries from those flames.

The Rev. Richard Sullivan, who was on scene of the fire Sunday, said the deceased attended his parish, St. Michael Catholic Church.

"It's a difficult time for all of us," he said Monday morning.

The Archdiocese of Louisville issued a statement Monday, saying the Hettinger family attended St. Michael Parish. Collin was in kindergarten and Courtney in the 3-year old preschool program at St. Michael School.

“On behalf of the parish and school community of St. Michael, as well as all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Louisville, we extend our deepest sympathies to the Hettinger and Gayheart families on their tragic loss,” read the statement.

“Archdiocesan counselors are working with the school counselor to assist teachers and students, and parents have been encouraged to talk with their children about this situation,” it continued.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Billie Hettinger worked for Baptist Health since 2010.

“We extend our heartfelt sympathies to co-workers, family and friends after this tragic loss,” reads a Baptist Health statement issued Monday. “Billie Hettinger touched many lives with her kind and caring demeanor, and she will be greatly missed by her Baptist Health Family.”

Hettinger studied nursing at Eastern Kentucky University from 2002 to 2005, according to her profile, and was pursuing a master’s degree in nursing informatics at the Chamberlain College of Nursing.

Brad Hettinger served in the U.S. Army Reserve beginning in March 2001 and resigned commission in May 2013, confirmed an Army spokesperson.

Since the family moved to Louisville in 2014, Brad Hettinger has worked for Humana, according to his LinkedIn.

More than 100 neighbors of the Hettingers gathered at the house Monday night to remember the lives that had ended the day before.

The Jeffersontown and Fern Creek fire departments, as well as the McMahan and Harrods Creek fire protection districts all responded around 3 p.m. Sunday to the house fire off Old Heady Road in the Saratoga Springs neighborhood. Kessinger said a home security system alerted 911.

Dreisbach said following the traumatic event, counseling services will be offered to his first responders through a Critical Incident Stress Debriefing team provided by the state. Kessinger, too, noted the difficulty involved for those on scene Sunday.

“It’s a tough case for everyone involved."

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Reporter Matthew Glowicki can be reached at 502-582-4989 or mglowicki@courier-journal.com.