Three shot dead

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 22, 2006

NATCHEZ &8212; An Adams County man allegedly killed two women before committing suicide Sunday.

Adams County Sheriffs Representatives said Donald Berry, 40, 32 Phillip West Road allegedly shot his estranged wife, Donna Berry, 35,

and mother-in-law, Etta White, 58, 27 Cloverdale Drive, with a pistol, then shot himself.

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Adams County Sheriff Deputy Jody Waldrop said a 911 call was received at 2 p.m. about a shooting at the Berry residence.

Waldrop said deputies arrived on the scene to find other family members standing outside the home.

&8220;Witnesses indicated that during a family meeting, Berry suddenly got up, produced a pistol and shot his wife,&8221; Waldrop said.

&8220;All the other family members tried to escape and it was then that Berry shot the mother-in-law.&8221;

Waldrop said deputies thought Berry barricaded himself inside the house and they could not get him to respond.

Waldrop said the Special Response Team, made up of ACSO and Natchez Police Department officers, arrived on the scene and entered the house to find Donna and White murdered.

&8220;They continued into the master bedroom and found Berry had also killed himself,&8221; Waldrop said.

From what the other family members told him, Waldrop said Donald and Donna were going through some court proceedings.

&8220;We&8217;re still investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting but it appears to be domestic-related,&8221; Waldrop said.