PHOENIX — Police are investigating the deaths of a family of five as a murder-suicide at a Phoenix home Wednesday morning.
Phoenix PD confirming five people were found dead inside the home near 7th Avenue & Northern shortly after 8am.
— Zach Crenshaw (@ZachCrenshaw) November 16, 2022
Three of them are children.
All had “obvious signs of trauma.”
Homicide detectives are actively investigating.
PD said “no suspect on the loose.” pic.twitter.com/ZBZ9HYDA61
Police say the incident occurred at a home near 7th and Northern avenues.
Firefighters were initially called to the home for reports of a gas leak just after 8 a.m.
Police say the four victims were found inside the home deceased with obvious signs of trauma. They have been identified as 40-year-old Marla Jordan Hudgens, 3-year-old Christopher Hudgens, 6-month-old Gwen Hudgens, and 6-month-old Faye Hudgens. The suspect, husband and father of the victims, 44-year-old Jasen Michael Hudgens, was found dead inside with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Neighbors tell ABC15 they are distraught, most too emotional to go on camera.
According to police, open propane tanks and a gas line that was not attached to a kitchen appliance were found inside the home. Because of that, their initial investigation was delayed. Around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday fire crews deemed the house safe to enter and officers began their investigation.
Phoenix police, Phoenix fire, as well as Glendale fire, the ATF, and US Marshals all assisted in the initial investigation.
Ken Van Winkle, Jr., a managing partner at Lewis Roca, where Marla Hudgens worked, released the following statement:
“We are overwhelmed with grief at the loss of our friend, colleague and partner, Marla Hudgens, and her family. We are in complete shock and are only just beginning to process this awful tragedy. Marla was a passionate lawyer and advocate for her clients. She was an equally passionate leader who worked tirelessly to make our firm a better place. But more than that, Marla was a loving mother and loyal friend. The impact of this loss on the community and on our firm is immeasurable.”
Those close to the Hudgens family say they were extremely loved, and this is a tragic loss for the neighborhood.
Marla was a life-long competitive soccer player and coach, according to her biography on the Lewis Roca website.
She was serving as a board member and the Director of Girls Club and Recreational Soccer for the Madison Futbol Club in Phoenix.
Club president Shawn Grunewald shared this statement with ABC15 Friday:
On November 16th, 2022, the Madison Futbol Club lost a friend, mentor, stand-in mom, cheerleader, and coach in Marla Hudgens.
Marla joined our club as a volunteer with our rec division in 2014, before she even had children of her own, and has been donating her time and energy ever since. With her personal skill level and ability to translate those skills into coaching Marla could have easily found a paid position within a larger club, but chose to remain with our smaller, volunteer based one. Marla quickly found her call to action in the disparity between the number of girls club teams as compared to boys and went to work. She transitioned to coaching club teams and ultimately joined our board as the Director of Girls Coaching, by then having 3 little ones at home, and a time-consuming career she was equally as passionate about.
With her commitment to the whole child, Marla taught her players to realize their potential outside of their soccer lives. This has led them to collegiate athletic endeavors, and a drive to meet their personal goals. When meeting with the players she coached it is clear her tenacity on the field, and in life has been shared. From the Lady Cheetahs, to Marla’s Minions, and the Littles - Marla always showed up.
As the club continues to grieve an amazing human, we will be working with her family to ensure we are respecting their wishes as we honor Coach Marla’s life and commitment to others.
No further information has been released on what led up to the incident.
