A quiet neighborhood in Hilliard, Florida, was shaken on July 24 when authorities responded to a domestic violence incident that claimed the lives of three women and left a five-year-old girl as the sole survivor. Deputies identified the victims as 32-year-old Marissa Rowell, her sister, 33-year-old Alisha Fogarty, and their mother, 71-year-old Sandra Fogarty. The suspect, 34-year-old Christopher Rowell, was later found with critical injuries and died days afterward.
Sheriff Bill Leeper called the case “tragic” and “heartbreaking,” sharing that the child had been in another part of the home when she heard gunfire. A family member moved her to a bathroom for safety before she escaped to a neighbor’s home for help. Deputies arriving at the scene found the three women in different parts of the house. The sheriff’s office continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the violence.
Relatives say the family had been preparing to move, and Marissa had planned to separate from Christopher. Her cousin, Steven Hallmark, described the victims as loving, devoted, and close-knit. A fundraiser has been launched to help with cremation costs and long-term care for the child, who is now staying with other relatives.
Neighbors and loved ones are mourning the loss while rallying around the young survivor. Authorities and family members are using the tragedy to highlight the importance of speaking out and seeking help in situations involving domestic conflict, in hopes of preventing future heartbreak in the community.