D. Craig Kinnaird

• Individual
• Family
• Ancestors
• Descendants
• Relationship
• Timeline
• GEDCOM
• Suggest

Obituary- Kinnaird, Craig and Kinnaird, Shirley

Murder and suicide tragedy
at Kinnairds on the Kiro corner
A tragedy was discovered early Tuesday morning when the body of Mrs. Shirley Kinnaird, 19, was found on a bed, shot through her back, and her estranged husband, Craig, near death on the floor of their trailer home from a self-inflicted gun shot wound.

The shooting was discovered by Mr. Kinnaird’s father, C. F. Kinnaird, who lives in the home on the Kiro corner. Mr. Kinnaird suspected something was wrong when the light was burning in the trailer home about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. He went to the trailer and found the door locked but could hear his son’s heavy breathing. He ripped open the door with a crow bar and found the tragedy. A .25 caliber pistol was lying nearby.

The young Kinnaird had shot himself in the face. The bullet entered his cheek and was lodged in the neck. He was rushed to the hospital but never regained consciousness. He died at 11:20 am Tuesday, the day after his 24th birthday. His wife apparently died instantly.

Undersheriff George Hornbeck said it was apparently a murder and suicide and that no further investigation will be made. He said indications are that Kinnaird shot his wife while she lay on the bed, fully clothed, in their trailer home and then shot himself.

The young couple had been estranged since Kinnaird returned from the service last month. It was believed Kinnaird had gone to the trailer home Monday in attempt to make a reconciliation with his wife.

Mrs. Kinnaird was the former Shirley Bower. She and her husband attended Silver Lake High School. Kinnaird worked as a painter at the Capehart housing project at Forbes Air Base and his wife was employed at the Goodyear plant.

Mrs. Kinnaird is survived by her mother and step-father and a sister, Mrs. Donna Dillon, of Manhattan. Mr. Kinnaird is survived by his parents, three sisters, Kay and Sally of the home, and Mrs. Joy Lea Blankenship, Topeka; his grandmother, Mrs. Loleta Kinnaird, Kiro, and a number of aunts and uncles.

Parker Mortuary of Topeka will announce the services.