Open-Carry Gun Activist Arrested for Killing Husband and Stepdaughter
"Mama didn't raise no victim": That's how a controversial Texas gun-rights group described one of its dedicated members last May. That activist was arrested Wednesday for allegedly murdering her estranged husband and stepdaughter, then driving herself to a mental hospital.
Authorities locked down a nearby elementary school as a precaution after discovering the bodies yesterday at the Arlington home Veronica Dunnachie, 35, had shared with her husband Russell, according to the Daily Mail. Dunnachie reportedly shot the Russell and his adult daughter from a previous marriage, but left three of her own children in the house unharmed.
Police found Dunnachie after the incident attempting to check herself into nearby Millwood Hospital, which "specializes in mental health and chemical dependency care," according to CBSDFW.com.
Multiple reports say relations were strained and a divorce was imminent between Russell and Veronica, who lists an armed-guard service as her employer and who, according to relatives, had recently "become very distant, lost weight and become heavily involved in gun-rights activist groups."
Indeed, Dunnachie's Facebook account was full of images showing her shooting and participating in activities with the local chapter of Open Carry Texas, a Second Amendment group so provocative that even the NRA has distanced itself from the group's tactics at times.
Dunnachie could be seen gathering with fellow gun-owners and a child at an open-carry action in a local restaurant:
Participating at several "don't comply," "come and take it" pro-gun, anti-government rallies:
Chilling in a Target parking lot with fellow armed citizens:
Firing a Chinese-made version of the AK-47 assault-style rifle:
Target-shooting a bipod-mounted AR-15 variant:
And expressing her political preferences:
Open Carry Texas hasn't made an official comment on Dunnachie's case yet, but the group's head, C.J. Grisham, issued a personal condolence on his Facebook site. "My thoughts are with my friends who lost a good friend," he wrote. "You know who you are and I'm thinking of you." That led to some interesting responses from his followers and friends:
"I knew her, I'm not that surprised," commenter Bobby Thomas wrote. Another commenter responded: "A few people are saying what you said, Bobby Thomas. Still, when anyone does something like that it's a little shocking.. Just a bit."
As police assemble their case against Dunnachie, those who know her in the pro-gun cause and outside it will likely pore over her posts for clues as to what may have happened—posts like the profile picture she added on New Year's Day 2013: