Nascar Star Jimmie Johnson Suffers Horrific Family Tragedy
The following article includes mentions of suicide and gun violence.
On June 26, the family of NASCAR racer Jimmie Johnson suffered the tragic loss of his mother-in-law, father-in-law, and his nephew in what is under investigation as a potential murder-suicide.
TMZ reported that the parents of Johnson's wife of nearly two decades, Chandra Janway, and their 11-year-old nephew were found dead by authorities in the couple's residence in Oklahoma. All three had sustained gunshot wounds. Prior to their arrival, the Muskogee Police confirmed to the publication that a 911 call was made by a female at the Oklahoma home claiming there was "someone with a gun." Police also told the publication that mother-in-law Terry Janway allegedly remains the prime suspect, though nothing has been confirmed and no one has been charged for the incident.
Amid the tragic news, Johnson's team released a statement on June 27 confirming that the racer was pulling out of his scheduled appearance at the upcoming Chicago Street Race. "The Johnson family has asked for privacy at this time and no further statements will be made," his team wrote.
The Janway family's Oklahoma community reels from tragedy
The Janway family made the state of Oklahoma their longtime home, as Chandra Janway, actor and wife of racer Jimmie Johnson, grew up there and attended the University of Oklahoma. Unfortunately, the Sooner State was also the site of this family tragedy. The mayor of Muskogee, Oklahoma — where Chandra's parents lived — Mayor Marlon Coleman spoke to Fox23 on June 27 about the shocking incident and how the now-deceased patriarch Jack Janway was a well-known chiropractor in town.
"It was traumatizing to find out that a long-standing family who had made so many contributions to our community were involved in this type of incident. It was even more bone-chilling to find out there was a child involved," the mayor noted. "I knew Dr. Janway. Dr. Janway has worked on me, we've been acquaintances for a very, very long time since I've been in Muskogee. Just knowing that it was him and his family took a different toll on me."
The NASCAR organization sent its condolences to the Johnson and Janway families in the aftermath of this tragic event. NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick also released a statement saying he "has been in touch with Jimmie" and "offered ... the full resources of [his] organization."
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).