Four children escaped Lincoln County home as their father killed two relatives, then himself

LINCOLN COUNTY — With his four children in the home, a man fatally shot his father-in-law and his wife Wednesday night, then shot and killed himself at a home near Foley, authorities said.

Phillip Lee Foland's four children, ranging in age from 15 to a baby younger than 1, ran to a neighbor's home for help, unharmed. The children notified police, said Lincoln County Sheriff Rick Harrell.

The triple shooting was reported about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday at a home in the 2500 block of Highway W, west of Foley.

"Some of the children saw bits and pieces" of the attack, Harrell said in an interview Thursday with the Post-Dispatch. "Everybody saw something."

Foland, 56, killed his wife, Lauren Jennings Foland, 38, and her father Scott Preston Causey, 72, inside the home they all shared, Harrell said.

Deputies found Lauren Foland and Scott Causey dead in the home. Phillip Foland was suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken by helicopter to a hospital, where he died.

The children are now safe and in protective custody, Harrell said.

The sheriff said investigators were trying to learn the motive for the attack.

Phillip Foland had a few traffic tickets but no history of violence, the sheriff said, and police were never called to the home before about any violence.

The only criminal history Phillip Foland had was a misdemeanor drug charge in Texas years ago, Harrell said.