the girl to a neighbor called police .
asked what could have prompted smith to kill the family , drake said , “ i after he shot his way into a home wednesday in the small central illinois town of manchester , rick odell smith gunned down a great - grandmother , a young couple and three young children , police said .
smith scooped up one of the children , a 6 - year - old girl who was still alive , and carried her to a neighbor 's home .
by the time the early morning rampage had ended , rick odell smith , 43 , had killed a grandmother , a young couple and two small children and seriously wounded a 6 - year - old girl .
smith , 43 , approached the family 's home southwest of springfield about 4:30 a.m. , police said , and used a shotgun to blast through a back door .
the slayings rocked manchester , about 50 miles southwest of springfield in southwestern illinois .
but authorities described smith as an “ acquaintance ” of the victims .
drake said he was n’t aware of any relations between his nephew , who was from roodhouse , a few miles from manchester , and the slain family .
the girl , kassidy ralston , was in critical condition at a hospital in springfield with facial injuries , family members said .