Todd Houck, 36, is the son of Former Virginia Senator R. Edward Houck. On Tuesday morning, Todd allegedly committed a spate of crimes with unclear motives.

At the Relax Inn in Bowling Green, VA, Todd had a loud argument with his ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend, Jeremy Gift. Shots were fired. Later, Gift was found dead on the floor.

Such was the anger of the shouters, witness who heard the confrontation called 911 even before shots had been fired.

County sheriffs rushed to the scene but were too late. They only managed to see a Mercury Mountaineer careening away from the scene of the crime. The driver had a gun in his hand.

The police gave chase to the car for 30 miles down I-95. The driver was eventually stopped when he ran into a state trooper’s car that had been coming from the opposite direction.

As the officers approached the car, a gunshot went off. Seconds later, they found Todd Houck dead in the driver’s seat, killed by his own hand.

The woman, who wishes to remain unidentified, was not injured.

As a teenager, Houck had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He did not like the medication he was prescribed so instead relied on marijuana and other drugs. Last year, Houck was caught stealing money from an IHOP. He served 14 months in jail and was only just released on parole in August.

This event comes just as the Houck family was beginning to recover from another tragedy. Their 31-year-old daughter died of multiple sclerosis in 2012.

“I just can’t believe so much pain and suffering for one couple,” said Senate Minority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax). “It’s just awful.”