Family, including 8-year-old, found dead in Navarro County home

NAVARRO COUNTY - Three people, including an 8-year-old girl, were found dead from an apparent murder-suicide inside a Navarro County home Thursday afternoon.

Deputies were called to the Stoval family's home in the 4600 block of SE County Road 1090 in the Cheneyboro area because family members said they had not heard from them since Wednesday morning. When an officer looked in the home through a window, he saw Penny Stovall's body inside.

Navarro County Sheriff Elmer Tanner described what his deputies found as a “gruesome scene” when they discovered the bodies of 8-year-old McKenzie and her parents, Penny and Jefferson Stovall. They also found a rifle.

Tanner said the family did not have a history of family violence and are still trying to determine a motive.

Counselors will be available Friday at Mildred Elementary, where the child attended school.

No suspects are being sought at this time.