According to a press statement from the Modesto Police Department, when police went to a house in the 3700 block of Havenhurst Court on Wednesday, July 12, in response to a report of a murder-suicide attempt, they noticed someone with a gun through the window.
Restraining order from the girl’s mother, a 50-year-old father is accused murder-suicide of killing shooting his 8-year-old daughter before shooting himself
When officers sought to speak with the man, Donavan Halstead, he said he was leaving the house unarmed. However, when officers entered the house after hearing gunfire from within, they discovered Halstead suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound believed to be murder-suicide attempt.
Police also discovered Halstead’s daughter inside the house with what appeared to be a murder-suicide attempt; she was pronounced dead at the scene. According to KCRA-TV, the girl attended Sylvan Union School District.
PHOTO: ABC10
Officials transported Halstead to a local hospital for treatment, and police announced Friday, July 14, that he died from suspected murder-suicide.
The girl’s mother requested a restraining order due to murder-suicide attempt against Halstead on July 10 and a judge granted it on July 12, the day of the shooting, according to the Modesto Bee. According to reports, she divorced in April. This month, when Halstead and their daughter were in Montana visiting family during the Fourth of July, the mother apparently moved out of the house.
Halstead allegedly watched their child’s mother leave while he was in Montana using his home’s security cameras, and he then quickly went back to California and have the suspected murder-suicide. The Modesto Bee said that Halstead continued to text the lady while he was driving.
Halstead allegedly texted the mother when she stopped returning his calls, “This is on your hands.”
The mother claimed that Halstead had two handguns and four rifles in the petition, according to the Modesto Bee.
Additionally, according to the mother, Halstead had been abusive both verbally and physically during their relationship.
The mother apparently claimed in the petition that Halstead had once held her to the ground after an argument, taken her phone and keys, and prevented her from leaving the house. This is according to the Modesto Bee. He allegedly choked her once more. According to reports, their daughter was there for both occurrences.
The mother had also requested a restraining order against Halstead in 2016, claiming that he had choked, pushed, and pinned her down while verbally and physically abusing her.
According to a Modesto Police Department official, the investigation into the murder-suicide attempt case into the restraining orders is ongoing.
