MEMPHIS, Tenn. (FOX13) – -For the last ten years their love for each other had taken root and blossomed in the heart of Orange Mound.

“Then the next thing you know they was head over heels in love. I mean head over heels in love. Both of them,” said Danielle’s aunt Lydia Babb.  “One was glue and the other one was the wood. And they never left each other. Stuck together just that tight.”

But, when James and Danielle Alexander’s seven-year-old daughter awoke at 7 a.m. Thursday morning to prepare for school, she found her parents together again in their living room shot to death inside their home in the 2600 block of Enterprise. Their horrified oldest daughter, with three younger siblings inside the house as well, made the call to Memphis Police.

MPD Major Dennis McNeil said, “Officer went inside the residence and found two persons unresponsive. Memphis Fire Department was contacted. They came in and pronounced both persons deceased.”

Yet, just as quickly as dozens of onlookers began to crowd the street to watch the crime scene, family members of the 26-year-old Alexander and his 23-year-old wife were already attaching a motive to the murders captured on a cell phone video.

“This got to stop. We understand this all probably “retaliation” from an altercation that happened like a week ago. But, it got to stop,” said Babb.

In the video, a pink shirt clad Danielle Alexander is seen fighting with another woman as her husband James and others can be seen yelling at one another as the fighting went on. The wild scene is in sharp contrast with the family and neighbors’ descriptions of a quiet couple deeply devoted to taking care of their children ages 7, 5, 4 and 2. So, much so, they decided to get married just over two months ago.

Danielle Alexander’s mother Dujuna England said, “She was outgoing. Very smart. She pretty much was a good mother to her children.”

“He loved his kids. One of the better daddies you’ve ever seen and very protective of Danielle,” recalls Babb.

Neighbor Pamela Parker Stevison said, “They had gotten a little puppy and ah, they adored that dog and they would run that dog all around that house. Back to the sidewalk. Just normal people. It’s so sad you know.” Another neighbor Sandra Dickerson says, “And knowing kids up in there too. Oh, that hurt me so bad.”

Memphis homicide detectives may have a lot to work with in finding a suspect.

Stevison said the Alexanders did have working security cameras outside their home.

Some neighbors claim their dogs alerted them to a man running from the back of the house an hour before the bodies were discovered and then there’s the fight captured on video.

The children, none of whom were hurt, were questioned and then released into the custody of family members and an uncertain future.

“I can’t even imagine what it’s like to lose both your parents at one time,” said England.

“Violence and that’s what needs to stop,” says Babb. “One thing after another. The violence from one end to another. From one neighborhood to another. Families losing whole families. Kids be without mothers and fathers.”

(earlier report)

Family members have confirmed the victims are 26-year-old James Alexander and 23-year-old Danielle Alexander.

The couple has four children ranging in ages from 7, 5, 4 and 3. They had known each other since junior high school and then were married in February of this year.

Family member say they were a loving couple.

But family members did say that the deaths may have been part of a retaliation that involved Mrs. Alexander a couple of weeks ago.

This video earlier in the post was posted by Danielle on her Facebook page. Someone asked if she was the one fighting she said, “Yes cuz in the pink shirt.” This is the same video that the victim’s mother showed to FOX13 (FOX13 removed the expletives from this video).

In it her husband, Mr. Alexander can be seen trying to break it up.  He is the one in the blue shirt according to Danielle’s mother.

Also FOX13 was told by several sources that they were awakened by 6am by their dogs barking and they saw at least one suspect run from the back of the house.

At this time all 4 children are in Memphis Police custody.

This is an ongoing investigation.

You are asked to call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-Cash if you have any information.

MPD RELEASE:
On Thursday, April 24, 2014, at approximately 7:00 a.m, officers responded to a Shooting call at 2699 Enterprise.

Upon arriving on the scene, officers were met by a 7-year-old female who advised that her parents had been shot. Officers gathered the child, along with three additional children (ranging from 5 to 2-years of age) and removed them from the residence. Upon checking the residence, officers located two victims, 26-year-old male and 23-year-old female. Both victims suffered from an apparent gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased on the scene.

The children are currently in the custody of family members and were not injured.

No arrest has been made at this point.

This is an ongoing investigation.