Woman Held in Murders of Husband, 2 Relatives

Fresno police were holding a 28-year-old convalescent hospital employee Friday on suspicion of murdering her husband, her mother-in-law and a sister-in-law, then leaving a phony note to make it appear that the latter victim killed the other two before committing suicide.

Detectives said the triple slaying may have been the result of a custody dispute involving the couple’s two daughters, ages 2 and 6. The girls were not harmed, but it was believed the 6-year-old may have witnessed one of the shootings.

Nancy Kay Morris, 28, was arrested late Thursday, several hours after the three bodies were found in three different homes.

“This has been a very confusing and complicated case,” Police Lt. Larry McIntyre said.

He said Nancy Morris apparently worked an overnight shift, then asked a relative to accompany her home Thursday morning because she was nervous about going there alone. When they got there, they found the body of William Morris, 34, the suspect’s husband. He had been shot in the head.

Police arrived and officers soon went to the nearby home of William Morris’ mother, Jessie Morris, 61, to pick up the two Morris children, who were staying there. They found the young girls unharmed, but their grandmother was dead of a chest wound.

Also found at the older woman’s home was what was purported to be a note written by Joyce Ann Crawford, 37, William Morris’ half-sister. The note indicated that she had done the shootings and that she planned to take her own life.

Pistol Found Police sped to Crawford’s home, forcing their way in and discovering her dead with a bullet wound behind her right ear. A .25-caliber pistol was found near the body. McIntyre said the position of the wound was “not consistent” with those in most suicide cases.

Detectives questioned the 6-year-old girl, but declined to indicate what she told them.

Police said experts were analyzing the note to determine who wrote it. They made it clear they doubted that Joyce Ann Crawford did.