Jennifer Lantz and Zane Lantz die in tragic Vaughn shooting incident

Jennifer Lantz and Zane Lantz die in tragic Vaughn shooting incident
Fatal Vaughn shooting death of Jennifer Lantz and Zane Lantz – Obituary

On January 27, 2026, Jennifer Lantz, 48, and her son Zane Lantz, 24, were found dead in a bedroom of their Vaughn home, both with apparent gunshot wounds. The discovery was made by Jennifer’s husband and Zane’s father, who returned home from work and immediately alerted authorities.

Sheriff’s Deputy Carly Cappetto confirmed that Jennifer and the family dog appeared to have been shot, and that Zane’s death seemed to have been a suicide. A firearm was recovered from the scene, and authorities indicated there were no suspects being sought.

Jennifer, known as Jen, had worked as a para-educator with special needs students at Peninsula School District since 2011. While Zane did not live at the residence, he had spent the night there prior to the tragic event. Investigators noted Zane had struggled with alcohol addiction and mental health issues.

A neighbor who spoke anonymously shared that Zane had been battling addiction for the past two years, but his friends believed he would recover, making the tragedy all the more shocking. The investigation is still ongoing.