The tragic past of NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson’s wife, Chandra Janway’s family

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson and his wife Chandra Janway were in the headlines recently as Johnson's in-laws and his 11-year-old nephew were found dead in a reported murder-suicide.

The tragic incident in June 2023 wasn't the first one that the Janway family had to endure. Johnson is married to Chandra Janway, daughter of Terry and Jack, who were Muskogee, Oklahoma, residents.

Before the tragedy of his in-laws, Jimmie Johnson and his wife had to deal with the death of Janway's 27-year-old brother a decade ago. Johnson was still a full-time Cup Series driver and a six-time champion back in 2014 when Chandra's brother Jordan was killed in a skydiving accident in San Diego.

Jordan was an experienced skydiving instructor, having completed more than 1,000 jumps. On an ill-fated day in 2014, he collided with another skydiver in mid-air, which knocked him unconscious and left him unable to deploy his parachute.

Jimmie Johnson's brother in law Jordan Janway

Skydive San Diego, Jordan's employer, said that a chip that was undergoing maintenance could have automatically deployed a parachute in such an emergency.

Unfortunately, the 27-year-old was allowed to go ahead without the chip due to his experience, and he opted to do so.

The incident occurred on Sunday during NASCAR's visit to Martinsville, where Johnson took home a second-place result.

He and his wife acknowledged the death of his brother via a post on JimmieJohnson.com, which read:

"The Johnsons are saddened by the tragic passing of Chandra's brother, Jordan Janway, 27," the post said. "Jordan was an incredible son, brother, uncle and friend and will be dearly missed. Please keep the Janway family in your thoughts and prayers. The family asks for privacy at this time."

Oklahoman quoted Jimmie Johnson as saying that Jordan was a "free-spirited and adventurous guy". The NASCAR driver called the death tragic while adding that Jordan was doing something that he loved and was passionate about.

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Jimmie Johnson opens up about the devastating loss of his in-laws

A month after the deaths of Jack (69), Terry (68), and their 11-year-old grandson, Dalton Janway, Jimmie Johnson broke the silence and made a statement about the incident that occurred on June 26.

He penned a short note on social media, which read:

"Our family is devastated by the profound loss of Lynn, Jack, and Dalton Janway. We have been humbled by the outpouring of love and support during this unthinkably sad time and remain grateful for all of your compassion."

According to reports by the police, Johnson's mother-in-law, Terry Janway, was a possible suspect. She was suspected of killing her husband and 11-year-old grandson before pulling the trigger on herself.