Springville couple found dead in apparent murder-suicide

Published: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 11:03 p.m. MDT
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SPRINGVILLE — Jeanie White's daughters didn't want her dating Brian Sebastian.

He was abusive, daughter Ashley White said, and she'd reported that abuse to the police.

"I guess she was blinded by love," she said.

On Monday night, Jeanie White, 40, and Sebastian, 46, were found dead in the Springville duplex they shared. Police say Sebastian likely shot Jeanie White and then turned the gun on himself.

Ashley White, 20, said she had talked to her mother Sunday evening. Her mother and Sebastian and been drinking, she said, and Sebastian had been calling her mother names.

Her mother was preparing to leave Sebastian, Ashley White said.

When another daughter, Kayley White, couldn't reach her mother after calling several times, the two sisters knocked on Jeanie White's door at 1243 S. 550 East. When no one answered, they called police.

Officers arrived about 10:20 p.m. and entered the house though an open second-story window.

Jeanie White and Sebastian were found dead in the bedroom, each with a bullet wound to the head, Springville Police Lt. Dave Caron said. The gun was lying next to Sebastian. It appeared that Jeanie White had been packing a bag with clothing, Caron said.

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"I expected at the very least he had hit her," said Ashley White, who used to live in the basement below her mother and Sebastian, "but you don't expect it's going to happen like that."

Ashley White said her mother and Sebastian had met online about two years ago and moved in together shortly afterward. They didn't have many problems the first year of dating, but things got worse over the past year — partly due to her mother's medical problems and partly due to the couple's drinking habits, she said.

Her mother had left Sebastian before, Ashley White said, but she always went back to him. Her mother just always needed to be with someone, she said.

Marie Parker, who lives in the same duplex, said Sebastian was always nice to her. He would take care of her lawn and fix her car when it was broken, she said.

Parker, 25, said she thinks it was the alcohol that made him treat Jeanie White so terribly.

Parker is named in a police report for a domestic violence case against Sebastian that was pending in 4th District Court at the time of his death.

Sebastian was arrested May 22 after Parker had heard Jeanie White whimpering and injured outside her door, a police report states. Jeanie White told police that Sebastian had punched her in the face during a fight over a new baby rabbit she'd brought home.

Recent comments

Jeanie was an absolutely amazing person. She was a gifted individual...

honeybee | June 21, 2009 at 8:41 p.m.

I know Jeanie and her family, she was a very loving and caring woman....

Ashley | June 21, 2009 at 1:53 p.m.

Jeanie was a dear friend who I had not spoken to in many years....she...

slcnative | June 17, 2009 at 10:14 p.m.

Image
Provided by Utah County Jail

Brian Sebastian

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