A pastor from Louisiana shot his wife on Wednesday, June 21 in front of their children, before shooting himself at a hotel in Mississippi.
The pastor, identified as Danny Prenell Jr., 25, shot his wife, Gabby Prenell, 27, in front of their three children before taking his own life. Danny Prenell was the lead pastor at the Bright Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Pineville, Louisiana. The horrifying event occurred around 3:30 pm, leaving blood-stained floors near the Hampton Inn hotel’s elevators in McComb, Mississippi.
Although authorities have not provided updates on the condition of Danny and Gabby Prenell, a Facebook post from a friend of Gabby’s indicated that she was still fighting in the intensive care unit.
Danny Prenell, a former sheriff’s deputy with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Department until December 2022, often expressed personal growth and faith on his Facebook page. He described his wife as a woman of class, discretion, integrity, and a woman of God. But court records show that in 2016 Gabby petitioned for protection against abuse, saying that her husband often beat her and pointed a gun at her, threatening to kill her.
This incident highlights the alarming frequency of domestic shootings across the country. In 2022, there were 17 reported, according to a database, compiled by multiple media organizations.
Family mass killings, like the one that occurred at the hotel, have become distressingly common in various communities. The motives behind these acts can be attributed to financial or relationship issues, according to law enforcement officials.
In a Facebook post, Pastor Prenell wrote a birthday message to his wife on her birthday. He called her “my queen” and “the woman that I love and owe my life to.”
