Vigil Held in Iowa for Victims of Domestic Violence Tragedy

Community members in Muscatine, Iowa, gathered at a football field on Tuesday evening to honor a mother and five siblings who lost their lives in a case of domestic violence. This tragic event took place just a day before.

Muscatine Police Chief Tony Kies identified the victims as Lisa McFarland, 51; Dakota Whitlow, 32; Austin Harris, 29; Ryle McFarland, 20; Mark McFarland, 16; and Ryan McFarland Jr., 13. These individuals were commemorated with an assembly, where attendees heard speeches and prayers under a sunset sky.

Editor’s Note: This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know needs assistance, contact the national suicide and crisis lifeline at 988, available by call or text. Online chat is also accessible at 988lifeline.org.

Johnathan McFarland, at the vigil, spoke about the profound loss of his mother, sister, and brothers. He also shared his feelings towards his father, who police reported was responsible for the killings before taking his own life when confronted by police. “This might hurt some people for me to say,” he expressed, “No matter what is being told to me, I will always love and miss my dad.”

Audrey Perdue, the fiancée of Dakota Whitlow, also addressed those present. She remembered Dakota as a skilled metalworker and mentioned the unfulfilled potential of the victims. “My heart is broken as I grieve for the loss of my fiancé and the life that we had planned together,” she stated. “My heart breaks for everyone left behind to grieve these immeasurable losses.”

Police discovered four of the victims at a residence in Muscatine, a city approximately 50 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Chief Kies noted that McFarland was later located on a trail within the city and died by suicide while conversing with officers.

Additionally, two other men suspected to be relatives of McFarland were found fatally shot at different locations in the city, including one in a home and another in a business. Authorities confirmed McFarland had a criminal background, though specifics were not disclosed.

James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University, stated this incident represented the sixth family mass killing in the year. He manages a database on mass killings compiled with The Associated Press and USA Today. A seventh incident, occurring near Buffalo, NY, was documented on Monday.

Mass killings are classified as events where four or more individuals are killed within a 24-hour timeframe, excluding the perpetrator. So far this year, a total of 13 mass killings have occurred.