BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. — A deadly domestic violence case in Bradford County is prompting renewed concerns about whether Florida’s injunction system is sufficient to protect victims who follow every legal step available to them.
A man and a woman were found dead after a shooting early Thursday morning at a home in Starke. Deputies identified the victims as Rachel Kerr and her estranged husband, Loyd Alan Kerr.
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Court records show Rachel Kerr had an active injunction for protection against domestic violence and had repeatedly contacted law enforcement to report violations of that order. Investigators said she reported unwanted contact and accused her estranged husband of placing tracking devices on her vehicle. Deputies found probable cause in multiple cases.
“This has been an ongoing domestic violence-type of situation between the two; they were strange. She was going through all the right processes to prevent any further harm from him,” said Bradford County Chief Deputy Colonel Brad Smith.
According to the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office, enforcement actions were taken in response to those violations, including arrests and jail time, in an effort to reinforce the seriousness of the injunction and stop further contact.
“He did serve time in jail. That’s another step of the process to try and drive home the seriousness of this to try and prevent something further from happening,” Smith said.
Despite those measures, deputies were called to the home early Thursday morning after a 911 hang-up call. Authorities said the call came from Rachel Kerr’s phone.
“We did get a 911 call from her phone. We didn’t have the immediate conversation with the dispatch during that, but they could hear what was going on in the background, and then they lost contact,” Smith said.
When deputies arrived, both Rachel Kerr and Loyd Alan Kerr were found dead from gunshot wounds.
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Chief Deputy Smith described the case as a painful example of the limits of the current system.
“And this is one of those rare cases where it all just was not enough to prevent it,” he said.
The tragedy is now raising broader questions about why Florida’s injunction system, even when followed, does not always prevent deadly outcomes in domestic violence cases.
“I’ve been in the criminal justice system for over 33 years. If somebody could come forward with better ideas, better ways to do this and we’re constantly evolving, trying to get better. I mean, when I started in law enforcement, we went to a domestic case really did we ever make an arrest,” Smith said.
As the investigation continues, Rachel Kerr’s case stands as a stark reminder of the risks faced by domestic violence victims, even those who seek protection through the courts.
Rachel Kerr had a restraining order. She reported the danger. It didn’t stop the violence.
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