UALR Murder: Arkansas Professor James Wilbanks, Wife, Sister, Dead In Apparent Murder-Suicide

The University of Arkansas-Little Rock murder case involving personnel at the Arkansas-based school has left a professor, his sister, and his wife dead.

Yahoo! reported on Saturday that Dr. James Wilbanks, 41, his 27-year-old wife Tatiana, and his 31-year-old sister Elizabeth, all perished in what appears to be a murder-suicide.

The three were found shot to death inside a burning home in the prosperous Little Rock suburb of Maumelle, a town of 18,000 located across the Arkansas River.

Wilbanks was a professor of management at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) and, police said, the only other time there was any indication of trouble at the residence was when Wilbanks called to complain about a neighbor’s barking dog in 2014.

A female victim was found near the entry of the home and a second female victim was found in the bedroom. Wilbanks was discovered in the living room, and a firearm was recovered from the scene.

The police have released little else on the UALR murder, except to say that firefighters discovered the bodies late Friday night at around 10 p.m.

The bodies of two dogs that had also been shot to death were discovered as well.

In a separate report from THV11, Captain Jim Hansard of the Maumelle Police Department said the fire had damaged the home significantly.

Also, UALR Dean of the College of Business Dr. Jane Wayland had this to say.

“We do not know the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident, and we are very saddened and shocked. We do know that Dr. Wilbanks was an accomplished researcher and professor of management. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family and friends.”

Unfortunately this isn’t the first time the Inquisitr brought you the story of a professor-involved murder-suicide in 2015. Earlier this month, a professor at the University of South Carolina was gunned down by his ex-wife in a murder-suicide.

Dr. Raja Fayad, a professor of anatomy and physiology, was shot and killed by his ex-wife in a public health building on campus. Richland County Police said Fayad’s ex-wife, Sunghee Kwon, 46, fatally shot the University of South Carolina professor in the upper body area several times before taking her own life. Kwon’s body was discovered with a single gunshot wound to the abdominal area with a 9 mm pistol and a magazine in close proximity of both bodies, spokesman Thom Berry said.

In this and the case of the UALR murder, the Inquisitr would like to send its deepest sympathies to the families of all victims.

[Image via UALR website]