A “normal” Florida fire department lieutenant killed his wife and then himself in a disturbing murder-suicide Thursday night.
Shawn Yarbrough, 46, and his wife, Andrea Nicole Yarbrough, were discovered dead around 9:20 p.m. in their home in the Entrada subdivision off County Road 207.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office determined that while Shawn’s manner of death indicated suicide, Andrea’s death appeared to be the result of a homicide.
Shawn and Andrea, who worked as a financial manager, had four children together, who are still young and now left without parents.
Shawn Yarbrough, 46, and his wife, Andrea Nicole Yarbrough, were found dead around 9:20 p.m. in their Florida home in a murder-suicide.
Shawn Yarbrough’s death was ruled a suicide, while his wife’s death was ruled a homicide.
Shawn was a lieutenant stationed with the St Johns County Fire Department, where he was hired in March 2004.
The Yarbroughs were found in their home in the Entrada subdivision off County Road 207, which they purchased in August 2022.
Although it is still unclear if the children were present in the house during the horrific scene, a neighbor said. News4JAX that the couple’s children were not home at the time of the shooting.
Another neighbor expressed complete shock at the tragedy and explained that they were a “typical nice family.”
“They are very nice people and very calm. Just genuine people,” the neighbor said in disbelief to News4Jax.
He added that he never heard any arguments or saw evidence of internal problems.
‘I didn’t even know they had a problem. As (other) neighbors said, “they are like a normal family.”
Shawn and Andrea Yarbrough married in December 2022 and bought the house where their bodies would later be found in August of that same year.
Before his promotion to lieutenant, Yarbrough (far right) was an engineer.
A neighbor said he never heard any arguments or saw evidence of domestic problems between the two.
One neighbor expressed utter shock at the tragedy and explained that they were a “typical nice family.” “They’re very nice people and very calm. Just really genuine people,” the neighbor told News4Jax in disbelief.
When the neighbor returned home, at 12:30 a.m., numerous police and forensic vehicles were already there.
At a news conference Friday, the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it was a murder-suicide and called the horrific scene a “tragic isolated incident.”
Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Wendolyn Sneed said Historic City News that Andrea Yarbrough’s cause of death was a gunshot wound and that her manner of death was identified as a homicide.
Shawn and Andrea Yarbrough married in December 2022 and purchased the house where their bodies would later be found in August of that same year.
However, in the case of Shawn Yarbrough, Dr. Sneed determined that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted.
Before her death, Andrea worked for Graybar in Jacksonville as a financier, and began her career there in 2019.
Shawn was a deployed lieutenant with the St Johns County Fire Department, where he was hired in March 2004. Prior to his promotion to lieutenant, he was an engineer.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office determined that while Shawn’s manner of death was a suicide, Andrea’s death appeared to be the result of a homicide.
“They’re like a normal family,” a neighbor said of the couple.
In Shawn Yarbrough’s case, the chief medical examiner determined the gunshot wound was self-inflicted.
The chief of the fire department where Shawn worked has since broken his silence about the horrific event.
In X.comChief Sean McGee released a statement saying, “The recently reported events were unexpected, shocking and tragic for everyone affected.”
Chief McGee further commented on how the department is devastated by the tragedy.
“As a department, we are deeply saddened by the loss of life and recognize its lasting impact on the families and children of those affected.”
The fire chief concluded his statement by saying, “My deepest prayers and deepest condolences go out to the victims, their families and friends who were left grieving as a result of these events.”
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is still actively investigating the incident and trying to determine what led to the gruesome shooting.
The chief of the fire department where Shawn worked has since broken his silence about the horrific event and posted a statement on X.com.
Less than two weeks ago, Shawn Yarbrough uploaded a photo of himself smiling alongside his wife with the caption, “Sometimes we dress up.”
On Facebook, Shawn Yarbrough appeared as his neighbors described him: typical.
Many of his posts are photos of him with his wife and children. Less than two weeks ago he uploaded a photo of himself smiling alongside his wife with the caption: “Sometimes we dress up.”
And in a post earlier this year, Shawn Yarbrough boasted about his children’s academic success, which he attributed to his wife’s efforts.
“The reports just came out a few days ago,” he wrote. ‘The kids still do very well even in the advanced/honors classes. Thank you Andrea Nicole Yarbrough for all the effort and dedication to the children’s success.’
