Sheriff: Gun in Murder-Suicide Bought in February

A handgun law enforcement said Ballwin-area resident Christine Adewunmi used to kill her three daughters then herself was purchased about a month before the incident, the Crawford County Sheriff's Department reported Tuesday.

The bodies of Christine Adewunmi, 37, along with daughters Lauren, age 8, Samantha, age 6 and 3-year-old Kate at Blue Springs Ranch & Resort in Crawford County. Sheriff Randy E. Martin said in a written statement that husband and father Leonard Adewunmi reported his wife and three children missing on Friday.

Leonard Adewunmi told law enforcement that his wife had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was depressed and unexpectedly left the home with their children on two prior occasions. He said Christine Adewunmi and their three children were home when Leonard left for work at 5:30 a.m. Friday but were not there when he returned at 6 p.m.

A report filed by Leonard Adewunmi also stated that he believed his wife potentially was suicidal due to her depression, and that she had been researching ways to commit suicide online.

A credit card report revealed that Christine Adewunmi made purchases at a McDonald's restaurant in Sullivan, MO that Friday. Law enforcement said bags, rappers and the restaurant's receipt were found in the family's vehicle, which was found about 100 yards from where the victims bodies were recovered Saturday. The Crawford County Sheriff's Department reported that a box believed to be used to store the handgun was found in the vehicle.

The weapon which police believe was used for the shootings was found at the scene along with four empty cartridges. A background check with the registry maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revealed that the weapon was purchased from a St. Louis area business on February 21.

The family from lived in the Arbor Bluff Subdivision just off Big Bend Road in West County.

 officials tell Patch that Christine Adewunmi was a Parkway North PE teacher from December 1998 to June 2006. 

 officials also confirm the children attended Oak Brook Elementary Schooland that the school principal sent out a letter to families alerting them of the deaths and that there will be grief counselors available when students return from spring break next week. That notice can be read in the PDF portion of this article.

The West County family was a member of the in Manchester which is asking that the family be allowed to grieve privately. The Adewunmi family is not releasing any details of the wake, funeral, or burial to the media, according to the Archdiocese of Saint Louis.