Two dead in suspected murder-suicide near Garner

Jennifer Callighan was found dead inside a house at 1308 Field Stream Farm Road, and Kyle Christopher Miller, 25, of Garner, was found dead in the front yard next door. Deputies said it appears the two were dating, but no other details about them have been released.

Investigators said they believe Miller was the shooter and that the incident began at 1309 Field Stream Farm Road before Callighan fled next door.

Miller was convicted in October of assault on a female and violating a domestic violence protective order and was serving 18 months on probation, according to state Department of Public Safety records. It was unclear whether Callighan was the victim in the case.

Deputies responded to the home, which has a Raleigh address but is off Old Stage Road south of Garner, shortly before 10:15 a.m. Neighbors said they heard five to seven gunshots – several of them came in quick succession and the final one came after a pause that neighbors said lasted anywhere from a few seconds to a minute.

Irene Jakob said she had a pretty good vantage point of the incident from her back deck and saw Callighan frantically trying to run into the house as Miller was shooting in her direction.

"She was going into the home. She had opened the door trying to get in the home," Jakob said. "From what I saw from her, as frightened as she was, I mean it was scary."

Dave Williams said he thought someone had shot a deer in the area.

"Then there was a single pow, and then at that time, I thought the deer didn't die right away," Williams said.

"We quite often hear shots around here with the hunting season and everything else," John Grass said. "No hunting is (season) in right now, except possibly turkey, (and there is) no turkey in this area."

Jakob described the incident as horrifying.

"I thought she got into the house safe because I didn't see her go down or anything like that," she said. "I'm thinking maybe they had a dispute and he's scaring her and just shooting off bullets. I had no idea someone was going to die over this."

"It's just a shame that they couldn't work it out or that someone couldn't intervene and help them," Williams said.