Some peace of mind: Friends, family of San Marco double murder victims want to know why

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The best friend of one of the victims in the San Marco double murder finally has some peace of mind.

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On Wednesday, Action News Jax learned that Ty Christopher Head was the man who killed Paige Pringle and Tara Baker. Pringle’s best friend said this information helps those that knew and love her finally get closure.

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But while friends and family have more information, it’s still a very difficult time. They may know who the killer is, but the question still remains -- why?

“Everything that I could be thinking is kind of just going through my head, because I’m relieved, I’m happy, I’m angry, I’m frustrated,” Paige’s best friend, Liam Kiernan said.

RELATED STORY: ‘Who would want to do this?:’ Beloved bartender one of two women killed in San Marco shooting

On Aug. 9, Paige Pringle and Tara Baker were tragically gunned down in a senseless act of violence in San Marco. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said their investigation linked Head to the murder. But they then discovered he killed himself the next day outside of Nashville.

“When Head took his own life, he blocked the only avenue for investigators to conclusively answer this question,” Chief of investigations,” Allen Parker said.

Sheriff T.K. Waters says this crime was “strange” as it appears to have been a random act of violence. But he adds this isn’t usually the case in murders like this.

“It’s pretty rare,” Sheriff Water said. “I don’t think I’ve seen very many times where it’s been like that.”

RELATED STORY: Man who killed 2 women in San Marco in August killed himself the next day, Jacksonville police say

Sheriff T.K. Waters says Head’s family is not responsible for this crime and understands how difficult this may be for them and the victims’ families. However, he said, “When it comes down to it, we were glad to know he was no longer in a position to hurt anybody else.”

Now family and friends can try to get closure.

Baker’s fiancé didn’t feel comfortable talking to us on camera, and while he said he didn’t expect to find out who did it, he’s happy to finally know.

Pringle’s co-worker and best friend, Liam Kiernan, said it’s still hard to wrap his head around her murder.

“This information is just dredging up another mixture of things, I feel like a lot of people because we’re gonna go through, again, a fresh process a little bit here of, you know, again, asking the why, because now we have a face to the crime, he doesn’t look like he would be the face behind it,” Kiernan said.

On Monday, Pringle’s family held a service for her in Jacksonville. Kiernan said hundreds were there in attendance.

RELATED STORY: ‘She was a shining star;’ Community looks to keep names of San Marco shooting victims alive

“You could just feel that the love in that room was incredible,’ Kiernan said.

Now, Pringle’s friends are keeping her memory alive.

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“We’re all listening to her music talking about her every single day,” Kiernan said. “So she’s not forgotten about.”

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