Police: Man killed wife, sister before fatally shooting himself

Firefighters confined flames at this house on Auriel Circle in Maumelle to the back of the building late Friday. The fire reignited early Saturday.
Firefighters confined flames at this house on Auriel Circle in Maumelle to the back of the building late Friday. The fire reignited early Saturday.

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor found dead along with his wife and sister at their burning Maumelle home is believed to have killed the two women before taking his own life, authorities said Wednesday.

James Wilbanks, a 41-year-old UALR professor; his wife, 27-year-old Tatiana Wilbanks; and his sister, 31-year-old Elizabeth Wilbanks, were each found fatally shot inside 151 Auriel Circle after crews responded to a fire there Friday night.

Maumelle police at the time described it as a double murder-suicide but did not release who they believed to be the shooter.

On Wednesday, Maumelle Police Department Capt. Jim Hansard said preliminary autopsy findings revealed James Wilbanks killed himself. Hansard said police believe he also killed his wife and sister and set the fire that engulfed the home, where all three lived.

"We are not seeking suspects anymore," Hansard said.

Two dogs were also found fatally shot inside the home.

Hansard said he couldn't release specifics about the police investigation until a case file is completed in the coming days. But, he said, the motive is "pretty much a mystery."

"I don't think we'll ever know that," he said.

James Wilbanks was an assistant professor of management at UALR.

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