EARNSHAW, GRACE

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Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Sunday, January 22, 2006 at 10:00:07 :

Independent Journal
Friday, August 29, 1980
Page 1

Novato man shoots, kills stepdaughter, himself

A Novato man shot and killed his 14-year-old stepdaughter and then took his own life early this morning after holding his family hostage for five hours.

The man, Malcolm Drummond Earnshaw, 39, shot himself in the head with his 38-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver after murdering Michelle Sonya Grace in the master bedroom of their condominium at 829 Sylvio Lane.

The deaths took place in front of the murder victim’s 10-year-old sister, Tanya Grace, after their mother, Monica R. Earnshaw, escaped from the home to get help from the police.

The quiet neighborhood was awakened at 2:37 a.m. when Earnshaw fired two shots at his wife as she ran through the front gate to get to a neighbor’s phone.

Earnshaw then ran upstairs and shot his screaming daughter before killing himself on the upstairs landing, according to Novato Police Lt. Mervin “Buck” Lesky.

Police received several reports of the gunshots and the cries for help. They quickly cordoned off the area and evacuated neighboring condominiums.

Police found Tanya at a neighbor’s home and learned of what she had seen.

They found Earnshaw lying on his back on the stair landing. Miss Grace was found on the bed with bullet wounds in her back and head.

Both appeared to have died instantly, according to Bill Thomas, a deputy county coroner.

According to what Mrs. Earnshaw told police, her husband was extremely depressed about marital problems and was under treatment for hypertension.

She said they had a fight earlier that night and that she had offered to leave the home with her children. Instead, Earnshaw left at about 8:50 p.m., police reported.

Earnshaw returned at about 10 p.m. with his hand in his pocket, according to police, who said he pulled the gun out when Mrs. Earnshaw asked him what he was holding.

Mrs. Earnshaw told police her husband marched her and her two daughters up to the master bedroom and sat them down on the bed, all the while holding the gun and talking about how much courage it took to commit suicide.

After some time, Earnshaw ordered the family to dress for bed but never let them leave the bedroom. When the girls and Mrs. Earnshaw were in bed, Earnshaw undressed and climbed in, according to police.

Mrs. Earnshaw told police that the girls fell asleep but that she and Earnshaw remained awake. She asked whether she could get up for some water.

Mrs. Earnshaw got her husband down to the living room, according to police, who said he went up to check on the girls twice.

It was on his second trip upstairs that Mrs. Earnshaw escaped and Earnshaw fired for the first time.

Inside the house, according to reports Tanya gave police, Miss Grace began screaming and her father came running.

Earnshaw jumped on his elder daughter in t he bed and shot her, according to Tanya’s report.

She told police it happened so fast that she didn’t have a chance to try to stop him. She said her father shot himself as she checked to see if she could help her sister.

Miss Grace was a student at San Domenico School in Sleepy Hollow.

Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw, who had lived in Novato for the last two years, had been married five years.

Earnshaw had worked for Guardino’s Sea Food Market and Gift Shop at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco for the last two years.

The mother and her daughters are natives of England.

Funeral arrangements are pending at Keaton’s Chapel of Marin in Novato.

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Message:	: Independent Journal : Friday, August 29, 1980 : Page 1 : Novato man shoots, kills stepdaughter, himself : A Novato man shot and killed his 14-year-old stepdaughter and then took his own life early this morning after holding his family hostage for five hours. : The man, Malcolm Drummond Earnshaw, 39, shot himself in the head with his 38-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver after murdering Michelle Sonya Grace in the master bedroom of their condominium at 829 Sylvio Lane. : The deaths took place in front of the murder victim’s 10-year-old sister, Tanya Grace, after their mother, Monica R. Earnshaw, escaped from the home to get help from the police. : The quiet neighborhood was awakened at 2:37 a.m. when Earnshaw fired two shots at his wife as she ran through the front gate to get to a neighbor’s phone. : Earnshaw then ran upstairs and shot his screaming daughter before killing himself on the upstairs landing, according to Novato Police Lt. Mervin “Buck” Lesky. : Police received several reports of the gunshots and the cries for help. They quickly cordoned off the area and evacuated neighboring condominiums. : Police found Tanya at a neighbor’s home and learned of what she had seen. : They found Earnshaw lying on his back on the stair landing. Miss Grace was found on the bed with bullet wounds in her back and head. : Both appeared to have died instantly, according to Bill Thomas, a deputy county coroner. : According to what Mrs. Earnshaw told police, her husband was extremely depressed about marital problems and was under treatment for hypertension. : She said they had a fight earlier that night and that she had offered to leave the home with her children. Instead, Earnshaw left at about 8:50 p.m., police reported. : Earnshaw returned at about 10 p.m. with his hand in his pocket, according to police, who said he pulled the gun out when Mrs. Earnshaw asked him what he was holding. : Mrs. Earnshaw told police her husband marched her and her two daughters up to the master bedroom and sat them down on the bed, all the while holding the gun and talking about how much courage it took to commit suicide. : After some time, Earnshaw ordered the family to dress for bed but never let them leave the bedroom. When the girls and Mrs. Earnshaw were in bed, Earnshaw undressed and climbed in, according to police. : Mrs. Earnshaw told police that the girls fell asleep but that she and Earnshaw remained awake. She asked whether she could get up for some water. : Mrs. Earnshaw got her husband down to the living room, according to police, who said he went up to check on the girls twice. : It was on his second trip upstairs that Mrs. Earnshaw escaped and Earnshaw fired for the first time. : Inside the house, according to reports Tanya gave police, Miss Grace began screaming and her father came running. : Earnshaw jumped on his elder daughter in t he bed and shot her, according to Tanya’s report. : She told police it happened so fast that she didn’t have a chance to try to stop him. She said her father shot himself as she checked to see if she could help her sister. : Miss Grace was a student at San Domenico School in Sleepy Hollow. : Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw, who had lived in Novato for the last two years, had been married five years. : Earnshaw had worked for Guardino’s Sea Food Market and Gift Shop at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco for the last two years. : The mother and her daughters are natives of England. : Funeral arrangements are pending at Keaton’s Chapel of Marin in Novato.