JOHNSTON, R.I. (WPRI) – A daughter is dead and her father is injured after a Christmas Eve domestic dispute at a Johnston home Saturday afternoon.
Police arrived on scene at the home on Bishop Hill Road just after 3 p.m.
Johnston Deputy Police Chief Daniel Parrillo says the father and daughter got into a fight; the daughter stabbed her father multiple times while the father shot his daughter, killing her.
“She lives in Providence,” Parrillo said. “She came to visit the residence and there was some kind of verbal altercation during that visit which led to that violent assault.”
Johnston Police are identifying the deceased daughter as 28-year-old Jessica Sutherland. Her father, 55-year-old Robert Sutherland is still recovering at Rhode Island Hospital but is in police custody at the hospital.
Police say once Robert is released from the hospital, he will be brought back to the police station for questioning.
Police are still investigating the incident, speaking with family members who witnessed what happened, and working to figure out how the altercation led to a homicide.
“It began inside the home and the final confrontation took place outside of the home,” Parrillo said. Police found a weapon outside of the home in the area where they first found Robert, suffering from stab wounds on the ground outside.
Parrillo said police have responded to the residence at 75 Bishop Hill Road before, for domestic disputes between the father and daughter.
“At this time there’s no charges,” Parrillo said of Robert Sutherland. “He’s in our custody temporarily until we can figure out what happened.”
