Jimmie Johnson is speaking out for the first time after his mother-in-law killed her husband and grandson in a suspected triple murder-suicide last month.
The NASCAR driver, 47, shared a post on social media Friday, in which he expressed his gratitude for the love and support he and his family have been shown following the tragedy that involved Jack and Terry Janway and 11-year-old Dalton.
“Our family is devastated by the profound loss of [Terry] Lynn, Jack and Dalton Janway,” Johnson wrote in his post.
He added, “We have been humbled by the outpouring of love and support during this unthinkably sad time and remain grateful for all of your compassion.”
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NASCAR Driver Jimmie Johnson’s In-Laws Found Dead in Murder-Suicide; Police Say Mother-in-Law Is Suspect
PEOPLE confirmed in June that Johnson’s mother-in-law Terry, 68, shot and killed her husband Jack, 69, and their grandson Dalton at the family’s Oklahoma home.
Terry and Jack — who are the parents of Johnson’s wife Chandra — were found dead inside the residence along with Dalton, police previously said.
Muskogee police officer Lynn Hamlin told PEOPLE at the time that the department received a 911 from a woman they believe to have been Terry, “who stated that there was a disturbance and someone had a gun and then hung up” the phone.
When officers arrived shortly after 9 p.m. local time, they found an individual laying dead in a hallway of the home, and then heard another gunshot go off inside the house. The department said its officer then found two more bodies in another location in the house.
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“Please tell me this isn’t really happening please god someone,” Marianne Janway, Johnson’s sister-in-law, posted on Facebook around midnight after the incident.
“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,” Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman told local Fox 23 News at the time. “I knew Dr. Janway. Dr. Janway has worked on me, we’ve been acquaintances for a very, very long time since I’ve been in Muskogee. Just knowing that it was him and his family took a different toll on me.”
Muskogee Public Schools also released a statement after the tragedy, saying, “Muskogee Public Schools mourns the loss of Dalton Janway who died Monday night. Dalton was a fifth grade student at Sadler Arts Academy who was cherished by his teachers and fellow classmates. Our heart goes out to the entire Rougher community who knew him as a friend and classmate.”
The district said counselors would be available for students, families and employees.
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Source: HIS Education