FL Murder-Suicide Victims Were Part Of Close-Knit Congregation

LAKELAND, FL — Rachel Ramsey, her two young daughters and her mother were given the honor of lighting the Advent wreath at Crystal Lake United Methodist Church on the last Sunday before Christmas

It was the same church the 30-year-old Ramsey had been attending since she was a little girl. It is not a mega church but rather a close-knit congregation where the members know one another and only about 100 people attend services at any given time.

None of the congregants could have known it would be the last Sunday they would see Ramsey alive. See also 4 Young Children Unharmed In Apparent Lakeland Murder-Suicide

She was shot to death two days later on Christmas Eve in her childhood home by her high school sweetheart, who also killed Ramsey's new boyfriend — a single dad named Chris Pine with two young children of his own — before turning the gun on himself, authorities said.

"I have known Rachel for over 20 years since she was a little girl. We go to church together, and I know her parents," Rachel's longtime friend, Brittany, told Patch. "We’re all like a big family."

Lakeland police identified 30-year-old Leighton Josephs as the gunman. He, too, had gone to the same church at one time and was the father of Ramsey's children.

"The female victim and Leighton Josephs had been involved in a long-term relationship and had two children together," Lakeland police said Friday. "Over the past few months, their relationship had become strained."

Brittany said she didn't know what had become of Josephs. "I haven’t seen him for years," she said. "He stopped attending church."

All four children, who are under age 10, were in Ramsey's Atlanta Avenue home at the time of the killings, around 5:30 p.m. Both families had planned to attend Christmas Eve services together.

None of the children were physically harmed.

"She was very family oriented, very sweet," said Brittany of Ramsey. "She was very driven. She was working on her master’s degree in criminal justice."

Josephs and the victims were declared dead at the scene. Police said Josephs was armed with a handgun during the attack.

GoFundMe pages have been set up to benefit the families of Ramsey and Pine, both of whom leave their young children behind.

"The unthinkable, unimaginable thing happened so tragically and unexpectedly on Christmas Eve," fellow congregant Meghan Burrell penned in Ramsey's GoFundMe. "We know all people closely who were involved. We are raising money to help with unexpected funeral costs and to help with care for the children by the grandparents who will now have full custody."

Pine's family described the 27-year-old single dad as a "special man who melted every heart" with his kindness, according to Pine's GoFundme.

"He was an amazing and loving father who worked extremely hard to provide for his two wonderful kids," Pine's family members wrote. "He always made sure to put them first always. They were his top priority in life."

It's unclear what led Josephs to pick up a handgun on Christmas Eve.

"We are just all in shock," Brittany added.

A candlelight vigil was set for Monday.

To report a tip, send an email to Detective Laura Dunn via Laura.Dunn@lakelandgov.net or call 863-834-6974.

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