As the community mourns the loss of five lives lost in a murder-suicide earlier this week in Columbia, divorce filings shed new light on what the family was going through.
Documents revealed there were allegations of marital misconduct coming from the husband’s side, while Cynthia Collier accused her husband of abandoning his family and children.
According to sworn statements by Cynthia Collier and the couple’s four adopted children, Randall Collier had reportedly been out of the house for nearly 10 years.
Randall sought partial custody, while his wife sought full custody, trying to see to it that the children’s father was not involved in their family moving forward.
The couple went back and forth earlier this year with dual filings until May when the husband and wife voluntarily dropped their divorce filings.
News 2 has reached out to both their attorneys to ask why this is, and if they were reconciling. Neither party is able to comment.
Authorities said Cynthia Collier killed her four teenage children inside their Columbia home on Monday before turning the gun on herself.
Police have not released a motive.
