Tim Harris discovered the unthinkable on June 13 when he returned to his home in Kenton, Tennessee, and found his 1-year-old daughter Landrie Harris and her 11-year-old half-sister McKenna Young both shot dead inside the residence, according to authorities. Their mother, Jessica Quarles, was also there with critical stab wounds after allegedly killing the children and then turning the violence on herself.
Background
Quarles had been engaged to Harris since December 2023, and Landrie was their child together. McKenna, Quarles' daughter from a previous relationship, had several medical conditions including Fragile X Syndrome, epilepsy, autism, and hypotonia that required specialized care and frequent appointments, according to posts on her mother's Facebook page.
Friends described Harris as devastated by the loss of both children. Haley Paige Wilson, who has known Harris for years and launched a GoFundMe for him, said she spoke with him after the killings. "He just said, 'You never really realize that people could be capable of things like this, especially like your own children,'" Wilson told Law&Crime.
Wilson said McKenna was not biologically Harris' daughter, but he loved her as his own and worked overtime to get her a motorized wheelchair after the first one was stolen. "McKenna wasn't biologically his, but he loved that girl, and her face lit up every time he was around," Wilson said.
"It's unimaginable. He doesn't understand it at all. He's just devastated. He's numb," Wilson added.
The Investigation
Authorities were called to the home on June 13 after Harris discovered the bodies. An investigation was launched immediately by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Kenton Police Department, Obion County Sheriff's Office, and the 27th Judicial District Attorney General's Office.
"It was done intentionally. It was no accident," Kenton Mayor Danny Jowers told local CBS affiliate WREG at the time, referring to the shootings.
During the investigation, authorities identified Jessica Quarles as the individual responsible for the murders, according to a TBI press release. She had been released from the hospital after being treated for her stab wounds before being arrested on Monday.
An Obion County grand jury returned an indictment charging Quarles with first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree felony murder, aggravated child abuse, neglect or endangerment of a vulnerable child, and aggravated child abuse, neglect or endangerment of a child 8 years old or younger. She was booked into the Obion County Jail without bond.
Wilson said she has spoken with Harris several times since the killings, including after the indictment was announced. "He feels a little relief that it's out there. That everybody knows what he knows," Wilson said. "But at the same time, it doesn't make the weight of what happened any lighter."
"To have to see what he saw — he's not going to get that picture out of his head," Wilson added.
Key Takeaways
- Jessica Quarles allegedly shot and killed her 1-year-old daughter Landrie Harris and 11-year-old stepdaughter McKenna Young before attempting to stab herself
- Tim Harris, the father of the infant victim, discovered both children dead when he returned home on June 13
- An Obion County grand jury indicted Quarles on charges including first-degree premeditated murder and two counts of aggravated child abuse
- Quarles was released from the hospital after treatment for her stab wounds before being arrested Monday and booked into jail without bond
- Friends described Harris as devastated, noting he loved McKenna despite not being her biological father
What's Next
Jessica Quarles is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, July 6, in Obion County Circuit Court. The investigation remains ongoing with cooperation between TBI, local law enforcement, and the district attorney's office.