FESTUS, Mo. — Authorities have identified 27-year-old Hailey Nichole Jennings of St. Louis as the victim in a heartbreaking murder-suicide that was discovered on Friday evening in Festus.
According to the Festus Police Department, officers conducted a welfare check at a home in the area and tragically found two people deceased inside. Investigators are treating the case as a murder-suicide, and autopsies are pending to determine the official causes of death. Law enforcement has emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public, and the investigation is being supported by agencies from Jefferson County.
Family and friends remember Hailey as a kind, compassionate, and deeply loved individual whose warmth and caring nature left a lasting impression on everyone she met. She was devoted to her family and had a strong presence within her community.
Hailey is survived by her parents, David and Susan Jennings (née Miller); her brother, Riley (Alicia) Jennings; and her grandparents, Malinda Meyer, the late Robert Jennings, and Joan and the late Ronald Miller. She also leaves behind numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who are heartbroken by her sudden and tragic passing.
Funeral arrangements have been set to allow loved ones to pay their respects:
- Visitation: Thursday, November 13, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Kutis South County Chapel, 5255 Lemay Ferry Road.
- Funeral Mass: Friday, November 14, at 10:00 a.m. at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Hillsboro.
- The funeral procession will depart from the chapel at 9:15 a.m., followed by burial at Shepherd Hills Cemetery.
The Festus community continues to mourn this devastating loss as investigators work to piece together the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. Hailey’s memory will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.