A man and child are dead near Roy after an apparent murder-suicide that happened over the weekend.
Detectives believe the 27-year-old suspect murdered his nephew in their home with a machete and then shot himself in the head while driving.
Someone called 911 early Sunday morning to report a man drove through a fence on 288 Street South on Joint Base Lewis-McChord property.
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When deputies investigated what was first thought to be a car accident, they saw the man had a gunshot wound to the head.
Pierce County Sheriff's Department reports the driver, Christian Alex Brayton, died in the car. Brayton was known by his middle name, Alex.
Later in the morning, around 5:15 a.m., dispatchers received another call from a man who said his neighbor was screaming about his son killing his grandson.
When deputies arrived, they found Jesse Brayton’s body inside the home. It appeared he had been killed with a machete.
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According to the boy’s grandfather, the suspect and the victim were getting along and were playing video games the evening before the 911 call was placed.
Detectives believe that the suspect may have been suffering from mental health issues.
Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer says it's unclear why Alex Brayton, 27, killed the boy in the home they shared. Detectives found the gun in the vehicle and a machete in the home.
The Brayton family is devastated by the deaths and has asked for privacy.
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