Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Two Dead in DeKalb County Shooting (GA)

Man kills wife, tehn himself May 14, 2009

Original: http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/top_stories/Two_Dead_in_DeKalb_County_Shooting_051509

Updated: Friday, 15 May 2009, 12:21 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 15 May 2009, 4:47 AM EDT

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A husband and wife are dead after an overnight shooting. The shooting occurred around 2 a.m. Friday.

DeKalb County Police said they believe a 34-year-old man shot his wife multiple times before turning the gun on himself around 2 a.m. Friday morning in their Stone Mountain Home on Shadow Lakes Drive.

Neighbors said the first signs of trouble early Friday morning at a Dekalb County home were after it was already too late.

"[A] lady [was] screaming for help. [I] wasn't really sure what was going on," said Daniel Adenuga.

Daniel Adenuga woke up to the cries just after 2 a.m. Friday morning on Shadowlakes Drive near Stone Mountain.

"Heard her scream a couple times, looking for help and [I] was out trying to figure out what was going on. She had run from one end to the other," said Adenuga.

Police were on scene within a minute or two in what they are now calling a murder suicide.

"Once our officer arrived he was directed inside the home by a family member here. He found a man deceased. That officer was then taken to a bedroom where a female was found suffering from multiple gunshot injuries. She was later pronounced dead on the scene," said Mekka Parish of DeKalb County Police.

Police said paramedics on scene worked to revive that 24-year-old woman. They said they suspect her 34-year-old husband shot and killed her then turned the gun on himself.

"At this point our detectives do believe prior to this shooting there was a domestic related incident," said Parish.

DeKalb police tell us there were 2 adults and 2 small children in the house. They're now talking to those adults to try to figure out exactly what happened overnight.

Police said they have been called here before for a domestic dispute. But that previous incident was not violent.

"I actually witnessed one incident where the cops did show up. They're a very nice couple but I figure they've had problems in the past," said Adenuga.

Police aren't releasing the names of the couple until they notify next of kin.

Friends said the whole family at just gotten together to celebrate the couple's youngest son's first birthday over the weekend.

Elderly Couple Dies in Murder-Suicide in Cemetery (IL)

Man kills wife, then himself May 14, 2009

Original: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,520320,00.html

Friday, May 15, 2009

WAUKEGAN, Ill. — Authorities are investigating the apparent murder-suicide of an elderly couple found at Fort Sheridan Cemetery in northern Illinois.

Lake County Forest Preserve Police Chief John Tannahill says officers responded to a report of shots fired around noon Thursday. They found a man and a woman shot and a vehicle parked nearby.

Tannahill says investigators believe the man shot the woman, then turned the gun on himself.

Lake County Coroner Richard Keller says both bodies had a single gunshot wound to the chest. The victims are not being identified because relatives have not been notified. No autopsies are planned.

Fort Sheridan Cemetery is located in a forest preserve that was once part of a U.S. Army base. The cemetery remains federal land.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Four bodies; murder-suicide suspected (Japan)

Man kills his wife and two grown daughters; then himself May 14, 2009

Original: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20090515TDY02308.htm

SHIZUOKA--Police are investigating a possible murder-suicide after a man and three women were found dead at a house in Izunokuni, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Thursday morning.

The police suspect that Yuji Sugimura, a 58-year-old company employee, strangled his wife, 57, and two other women--believed to be the couple's daughters--before hanging himself.

According to Ohito Police Station, Sugimura, who lived with his wife and their two daughters, aged 26 and 22, was found hanging in the first floor living room when a colleague visited the house at about 8:45 a.m. on Thursday.

A woman's body also was found on the first floor, while the bodies of Sugimura's wife and another woman were discovered on the second floor after the police arrived.

All three women showed signs they had been strangled, the police said.

(May. 15, 2009)

3 found dead in League City (TX)

Man kills his father and stepmother, then himself May 13, 2009

Original: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6423197.html

Police investigating killings; two others in house at time

By HARVEY RICE Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle

May 14, 2009, 8:41PM

Resources

Lewis Edward Cantrell III, 26, was having a discussion about his finances in the living room with his father, Lewis Edward Cantrell II, and his stepmother, Gayle Mardis Cantrell, shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday when shots rang out.

The younger Cantrell’s 18-year-old brother and his 30-year-old stepsister were in separate bedrooms next to the living room, League City police spokesman Sgt. John Jordan said.

The 18-year-old was asleep, but the stepsister was listening as her parents calmly discussed a financial strategy for their son.

Cantrell III did not live at home but didn’t have a steady job.

“They were kind of counseling him on how to better save money and handle his finances,” Jordan said. “They were just talking, not arguing about it.”

Cantrell III, who has no history of violence, shot his parents dead during the discussion, Jordan said. He walked outside, then returned to the living room and shot himself.

The shots woke his brother, who fled with his sister down a corridor to a door that led outside and bypassed the living room, Jordan said.

The siblings had no idea that their brother was on the verge of violence. “They were dumbfounded,” Jordan said.

“They didn’t indicate there had been any family problems,” he said.

One of the siblings called 911 at 7:50 p.m. and a police SWAT team arrived at the residence in the 2900 block of Chinaberry Park Lane. The SWAT team found the bodies in the living room.

Jordan said investigators were trying to determine how the younger Cantrell got the gun. He pointed out that it’s not necessary in Texas to have a permit to carry a gun in a car or keep it at home.

harvey.rice@chron.com

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Detectives Unravel Mystery of Burning Body (OH)

Man killed his girlfriend with a blow to the head, then set her body on fire May 4, 2009

Original: http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-mystery-shea-0507,0,7705389.story

MARGARETTA TOWNSHIP, OH -- Detectives in Erie County have unraveled the mystery behind a burning body that was discovered Monday in a state wildlife preserve outside Sandusky.

An autopsy would reveal that the victim was a woman who has died from a blow to the head before her body was set on fire at the Resthaven Wildlife Area in Margaretta Township.

Witnesses then reported to the Erie County Sheriff's Department that 32-year-old Charlotte Evans and her boyfriend, 50-year-old Timothy Tyree, were often seen in the area where the body was found.

Sheriff's Department Captain Paul Sigsworth says, "We also did learn that there had been past incidents, witnessed incidents of domestic violence involving Mr. Tyree and Miss Evans and basically it appeared to be physical violence being perpetrated on her by him."

Once investigators were able to confirm the victim was Charlotte Evans, they began a manhunt for Timothy Tyree and learned that he had relatives in Kentucky.

They asked police in the Bluegrass State to keep an eye out for Tyree and Charlotte Evans' missing van.

Captain Sigsworth says, "He was in the van parked along the side of the road in Lechter County, he was immediately taken into custody by the authorities there."

Timothy Tyree has a long criminal history that includes a 1997 assault conviction for hitting a former roommate over the head with a baseball bat and a 2007 conviction for child enticement.

Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter says Tyree "tried to entice a 12-year-old newspaper girl back to a garage, luckily it didn't get much farther than that."

An Erie County Grand Jury returned indictments Thursday against Tyree on charges that include murder, arson and abuse of a corpse.

If convicted of all charges, Timothy Tyree could face life in prison. Authorities are now seeking his extradition back to Northeast Ohio.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Murder, Suicide in Pell City (AL)

Man kills wife then himself May 11, 2009

Original: http://www.myfoxal.com/dpp/news/20090511_Murder_Suicide_in_Pell_City

Updated: Monday, 11 May 2009, 10:59 PM CDT
Published : Monday, 11 May 2009, 10:59 PM CDT

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) - A man who was accused of shooting and wounding his wife two months ago shot and killed her before killing himself on Monday.

Authorities say that Randal McCoy shot his estranged wife, Consuela, then killed himself.

Police say the incident happened outside the Harrison Estate apartment complex just before 6:00 p.m. on Monday.

McCoy was accused of wounding his wife in March.

He was released from jail on a $75,000 bond, and with the condition that he would have no further contact with her.

Double murder, suicide in Kidderpore (India)

Man kills wife and father-in-law, then himself May 11, 2009

Original: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kolkata-/Double-murder-suicide-in-Kidderpore/articleshow/4511653.cms

KOLKATA: A merchant navy technician killed his wife, father-in-law and then committed suicide by hanging himself at his posh flat in the port


area on Monday. In a suicide note written
in blood, Sujit Kundu held a distant relative and a neighbour responsible for the deaths.

Police suspect that Sujit (32), a resident of a posh Merlin River View flat at Kidderpore's Kabi-Tirtha, suspected his wife Pinki (26) of having an extra-marital affair, which drove him to commit the murders. They have detained neighbour Rosy Gomes and Sujit's distant brother-in-law, Raja, for interrogation.

According to investigating officers, Sujit, a fitter with a merchant navy company, usually stays away most of the year in the course of his duties. He returned home a couple of months ago. "He was last seen returning home on his motorcycle with his wife on the pillion on Friday evening," said their neighbour, S Warsi. Sujit was wearing jeans. When Sujit's body was found on Monday, he was still wearing the same pair of jeans.

Police suspect Sujit murdered Pinki and father-in-law Ajay Nath Pal (65) and killed himself on Friday itself. He first slashed their throats with a sharp-edged weapon before hanging himself from the ceiling fan in his bedroom. The bodies retrieved by the police were highly decomposed. The murder weapon, however, is yet to be traced.

Sujit had used blood to write the suicide note on the wall of his home. "Ei chhilo aamar hate sajano poribar. Bhangte dekhchhilam, tai jure dilam (I made this family with my own hands. Seeing it break apart, I am mending it)."

In the suicide note, he also reportedly said that he wanted to have a nice family. But Raja and Rosy did not let it happen. Sujit's elder brother Manas Kundu said there was no problem as such. "Why Sujit did it is a mystery to me," he said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Pinki was close to her distant cousin Raja, a student. Sujit suspected Pinki had an affair with him. This created a rift between them. Sujit also disliked her association with their neighbour Rosy Gomes and suspected that she used to instigate her to behave this way. Rosy, their neighbours said, is a "Westernised woman" who was friendly with Pinki.

Investigations revealed that the flat actually belonged to Ajay. Sujit's house is at Rabindranagar. After Ajay turned immobile because of an illness, Pinki started staying with him to take care of him. Sujit was also staying at the flat for some time.

Sujit's friend in Rabindranagar said he was a jovial person. On Friday, he visited the Rabindranagar house, where his mother lives. "He had a long chat and was in high spirits. We did not have any inkling that he could commit such a horrible act," said one of his friends.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Yet again, neighbors are shocked! (Canada)

Man kills wife and one teenage daughter, then himself May 5, 2009

Original: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/ex-city-family-found-dead-in-murder-suicide-44579072.html


Ex-city family found dead in murder-suicide

Staff Writer8/05/2009 1:00 AM

EDMONTON -- A 49-year-old former Winnipeg man shot his wife and daughter and then himself in their home, an autopsy confirmed Thursday.

RCMP discovered the bodies of Kerry Saltel, his wife 47-year-old Gail and their 17-year-old daughter Erika inside the home in Grande Cache around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. They are not seeking any suspects beyond the three deceased.

A teddy bear sits on the front lawn, Thursday, May 7, 2009, of the home where three members of the Saltel family were found dead Tuesday, May 5.

Enlarge Image Enlarge Image icon

A teddy bear sits on the front lawn, Thursday, May 7, 2009, of the home where three members of the Saltel family were found dead Tuesday, May 5. (CNS CHRIS SCHWARZ)

The town's mayor called on its residents Thursday to pull together for the surviving daughter of the family.

Mayor Louise Krewusik knew the Saltel family through the couple's older daughter, who was in middle school when Krewusik was its principal.

"They were the good, kind, responsible citizens that every community is proud to have in their midst," Krewusik said. "We will come together and we will do whatever needs to be done in order to support those who remain behind."

Many in the town are confused and saddened by the discovery, Krewusik said.

"We will comfort one another and support one another and do whatever we can to make some sense of this tragedy."

The Saltels lived in Grande Cache for about 10 years, and ran Autumn Stone Music & Books in town. Kerry was terminally ill with colon cancer, and Gail had taken over most of the work of running the business.

"I'm quite sure that people are walking past that little shop and feeling that something is missing," the mayor said.

Neighbours described the Saltels as quiet and friendly.

Gina Goldie said the strain from Kerry's illness had visibly worn his wife down. Goldie said she last talked to Gail on Monday, when the women were cleaning their adjoining yards.

"She wasn't very happy," Goldie said.

Allyssa Lyon said she had been best friends with Erika for the past seven years, since the Saltels moved to Grande Cache.

"We just kind of suited each other," she said. "She was like my sister."

Lyon said Erika was always trying to make people happy.

Lyon said the two girls had plans to work for a year after their Grade 12 graduation this spring, then spend a year travelling to Spain and England.

Kerry and Gail Saltel both grew up in Winnipeg, and moved to Grande Cache for work after their children were born, said a friend from Landmark, Man.

Kerry was a train engineer for CN in Winnipeg and worked for another railway in Alberta.

-- Canwest News Service

Friday, May 8, 2009

Apparent Murder-Suicide (NC)

Man kills girlfriend, then himself May 7, 2009

With this one I wanted to give all accounts. First off, it was reported they had been dating for about a month, and that he accidentally shot her, ok that may be true....but if it were an accident why kill himself as well?

Another question this has brought up in my mind is WHY did the police have to wait for a search warrant AFTER they saw/found dead people? Maybe I watch too many cop shows (I LOVE The Closer, and Law & Order: SVU), but seems to me that when there are injured or DEAD people the cops are allowed to enter the premises to render aid or assistance as needed....how did they know there was no one else in there that may need help, if they waited a few hours after discovery to enter??

Crazy breeds crazy!

« View story overview

Two found dead in apparent murder-suicide

News14.com - ‎1 hour ago‎
YADKINVILLE, NC – Sheriff's deputies in Yadkin County are investigating what they're calling a murder-suicide. Sheriff's investigators found the bodies of ...

Couple found dead in Yadkin County house

Statesville Record & Landmark - ‎17 hours ago‎
By John Hinton | Journal Reporter A Yadkin County man accidentally shot his live-in girlfriend and then took his own life, Yadkin County Sheriff Mike Cain ...

Man, woman found dead in house near Yadkinville

Winston-Salem Journal - ‎19 hours ago‎
By John Hinton | Journal Reporter YADKINVILLE — A man and a woman were found dead inside a house at 5104 Windsor Road, about 12 miles south of Yadkinville, ...

Police: 2 Found Dead In Apparent Murder-Suicide

WXII12.com - ‎14 hours ago‎
YADKINVILLE, NC -- A man and a woman were found dead inside a Yadkin County home Thursday, in what police are calling a murder-suicide. ...

Mom thwarts plan to be famous (MD)

He promised her fame, but she picked life for her and her kids! I just hope that she has a safe place to be and stay there for a while when they release him from jail!! Way To Go, MOM!!!

Mom's Actions May Have Averted Murder-Suicide

Posted on May 07, 2009

LEONARDTOWN, Md. (May 7, 2009) -- A woman and her two children may be alive today because she had the presence of mind to flee her home and seek safety after her husband allegedly violently assaulted both teenage children and then displayed a handgun saying, "I am going to make you famous, I don't have anything to lose."

The husband, Donnie Smith, Sr., 41, of Lexington Park was arrested after local police executed a search and seizure warrant at his residence Tuesday. Police say the handgun was recovered at that time.

Sheriff's office patrol deputies say they were alerted to the situation in the home on Monday.

According to police, Smith first assaulted his 13 year-old son, who wears leg braces, by pushing him down stairs several weeks ago. On Sunday Smith allegedly assaulted his 16 year-old daughter by punching her in the face several times and pointing a handgun at her. Police say Smith then showed his wife the handgun and said, "I am going to make you famous, I don't have anything to lose."

The woman told police she took her children and fled the following day, Monday, because of her husband's propensity for violence.

Detectives from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) picked up the investigation. The following day, Tuesday, detectives, with the assistance of the St. Mary's County Emergency Services Team (EST), executed the search and seizure warrant and made the arrest.

Smith was charged with First Degree Assault, 2 counts of Second Degree Assault, 2 counts of Child Abuse, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. He was incarcerated in the St. Mary's County Detention Center.

Odessa shooting ruled murder-suicide (MO)

Man kills another man (a family member, but the connection is not given); then himself May 4, 2009

Original: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/1183091.html

Posted on Wed, May. 06, 2009 10:15 PM Authorities have determined that the fatal shooting of two men at an Odessa, Mo., gas station was a murder-suicide.

Police identified the men as Nurali B. Bhimani, 28, and Nasruddin N. Dhanani, 42.

They said Dhanani died at the scene Monday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after shooting Bhimani.

The men were related but authorities would not say how, nor did they know what led to the shooting.

Authorities said that Bhimani owned the BP station at 404 W. U.S. 40.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Scott E. Schmidt, charged in fatal shooting of his estranged wife (WI)

Man kills wife, and shoots her mother without killing her April 17, 2009

Original: http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090506/OSH0101/305060089/1987

By Jim Collar • Gannett Wisconsin Media • May 6, 2009

APPLETON — Scott E. Schmidt, charged with shooting his estranged wife to death last month, is trying to block the use of his jail medical records in efforts to determine his competency for trial.

Audio: 911 call reporting Grand Chute shooting (contains graphic language)
Photos: Scott Schmidt makes his initial court appearance
Photos: Shooting in Grand Chute

Schmidt’s attorney, Gregory Petit, is asking for the return of medical records the Outagamie County District Attorney’s Office acquired through a subpoena.

The records are confidential under medical privacy laws unless Schmidt says otherwise, he argued in a motion filed last week.

"The patient has the right to refuse to disclose any physician-patient reports, and absent a release by the patient, no report should be given to any other parties,” Petit wrote.

Schmidt, 38, was charged with counts including first-degree intentional homicide after his April 17 arrest outside Kelly Wing Schmidt’s Grand Chute home.

Wing Schmidt, 39, was shot multiple times in the head and died several hours later at a Neenah hospital. Her mother, Barbara Wing, 66, was shot once and was treated at a hospital and released the same day.

Schmidt is scheduled to appear in court Friday for a hearing on his competency to stand trial.

Petit argued that the defense should have had an opportunity to oppose the subpoena seeking the jail medical records. The motion doesn’t describe what the reports contain.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Melinda Tempelis argued in a separate motion that the reports are vital to determine whether Schmidt is mentally capable of proceeding through a trial.

“The state believes these records should be provided to the doctor conducting the examination so that a complete and thorough evaluation and examination can be performed,” Tempelis wrote.

Jim Collar writes for the Appleton Post-Crescent.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Ennis Murder-Suicide (TX)

Husband kills wife, then himself May 3, 2009

Original: http://www.ennisdailynews.com/news.php?id=3699
Man shoots wife, turns gun on himself
Candie Beck-Adams, Community Editor
05-05-2009

Less than 12 hours after they left the scene of an apparent domestic disturbance, members of the Ennis Police Department were called back to 611 Gilmer St. for another disturbance. This time officers discovered two bodies.

After forcing their way into the residence, officers found the bodies of Sharon Lusk, 28, and Willie James Lusk, also 28. Police have determined the incident was an apparent murder/suicide with Willie Lusk shooting his wife then turning the weapon on himself. Det. Sgt. Mike Hopson said the earlier call to the location did not involve violence and both parties walked away from the situation without further incident.

“Officers were called out to the Lusk residence shortly before noon because of a disturbance,” he said. “Both parties acknowledged that they were having a disagreement and had gotten a little loud but that neither of them had been assaulted. The couple agreed that they were both upset and needed some time away from each other. They left the scene separately and officers had no indication that anything further would occur.”

Inside the master bedroom where the shootings took place, officers found an infant in a crib and two minor children asleep in the next bedroom. All three girls were released to their maternal grandparents unharmed. Chief of Police John Erisman said the incident was extremely tragic and the first of it’s kind in his years with the department.

Apparent Miramar Ranch North Murder-Suicide Investigated (CA)

Suspected murder-suicide May 6, 2009

Original: http://www.10news.com/news/19383100/detail.html

A couple found dead in their Miramar Ranch North home, possibly the victims of a murder-suicide, were identified Wednesday.

Richard Young Choe, 67, and his wife, Grace, 62, were found by friends who went to their home in the 11200 block of Golden Birch Way about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, because the two had not shown up at a church event, San Diego police Lt. Kevin Rooney said.

Along with a neighbor, the friends looked in the windows and saw the woman's body, Rooney said. Firefighters forced their way in and found the two bodies, he said.

Both the man and the woman had traumatic injuries," Rooney said.

A handgun was found near the man's body, Rooney said. The deaths were being investigated as a possible murder-suicide.

Woman Critical After Apparent Murder Suicide Attempt (CA)

Man attempts to kill woman, then kills himself May 6, 2009

UPDATE: http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_12315892?nclick_check=1

A 57-year-old woman involved in a bitter divorce was in "good condition" today as she recovered from a bullet wound inflicted in a West Hollywood parking structure by her husband, who then killed himself, authorities said.

"She's in good condition, and may be released sometime today or tomorrow," Sgt. John Corina of the sheriff's homicide bureau said this morning.

The woman's name was not immediately released. Her husband was Eric Steven Lesin, 59, of North Hollywood, a coroner's investigator said.

Lesin waited for his wife in an underground parking structure in the 9000 block of Phyllis Avenue Wednesday morning, said sheriff's Lt. David Coleman. At some point during their encounter, Lesin shot the woman in the neck, then turned the gun on himself, he said.

Paramedics were sent to the location about 9 a.m. Wednesday. Lesin was declared dead at the scene while his wife was transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in critical condition.

Coleman said the pair were going through a bitter divorce, and Corina added: "He felt that she was to blame for his troubles."

Corina said Lesin and his wife had no children together.



Original: http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-murder-suicide,0,4524463.story
WEST HOLLYWOOD - A woman has been hospitalized in critical condition in an apparent murder suicide attempt, authorities said.

The shooting was reported shortly after 9 a.m. near the intersection of Doheny Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard, said Sgt. Diane Hecht of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau.

The unidentified woman is said to be roughly 50-years-old and was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in critical condition, county fire Inspector Steve Zermeno said.

The man, who was in his late 50s, died at the scene.

Investigators believe he shot the woman, said to be his wife, before turning the gun on himself.

Contractor kills girlfriend, son, self (CA)

Man kills girlfriend and child, then himself May 6, 2009

Original: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g-P25XnbZjFKbq82RcILZq8MLjaAD980S7A81

ORANGE, Calif. (AP) — An electrical contractor who was having financial problems shot to death his live-in girlfriend and 3 1/2-year-old son before killing himself, police said Wednesday.

Officers called to an apartment Tuesday afternoon found the bodies of Craig Rubin, 44, and Mary Striley, 42, on beds in separate bedrooms while the body of their son, Jake, was in a high chair in the kitchen, Sgt. Dan Adams said.

Each had been shot once in the head.

Police were called by the apartment manager, who had not seen the family in several days. The manager said the couple had not moved their cars or answered their phone for days, police said.

Adams said Rubin left a suicide note in which he took responsibility for killing his family.

The motive for the killings was under investigation, but Rubin had financial problems and both his girlfriend and son had health problems, Adams said. He had no details about those problems.

A work van labeled Rubin Electric was parked outside the apartment.

Rubin and Striley had lived together for four or five years, Adams said.

Orange is in central Orange County about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Teen escapes as Fla. dad kills family, self (FL)

Husband kills wife and two kids, shoots at the other kid, then kills himself May 3, 2009

Wife, two boys shot dead; she had tried to leave home after a fight

LAKELAND, Fla. - His father and stepmother had fought before, and 13-year-old Nathan Bellar had no reason to believe their latest exchange would turn violent.

After an argument on Sunday, though, the teen watched his father gun down the woman as she tried to take her sons to their grandparents'. Nathan ran back through the house and heard his father shoot his younger brothers, but the gunfire wasn't over.

His father chased him through the cluttered garage and took aim, but tripped on a bicycle before he could get off another fatal shot. As Nathan ran screaming to the safety of a neighbor's house, the father killed himself in the front lawn.

The teen was staying with his grandparents Monday, a day after investigators said Troy Ryan Bellar, 34, shot and killed his wife, Wendy Bellar, 31, and their 5-month-old and 8-year-old sons. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the surviving teen was quiet and cried some after the shootings but also helped detectives piece together the deadly sequence of events.

"His entire family is gone," Judd said.

"What he witnessed, what he was engaged in, most people in this world will never witness," the sheriff later added.

Wife was trying to drive away
Wendy Bellar was carrying 5-month-old Zack James Bellar out the front door in a car seat when Nathan Bellar saw his father follow them with a 7.62 mm rifle, Judd said. She intended to take the infant and her 8-year-old son, Ryan Patrick Bellar, to her in-laws for the night but was shot down on the screen porch.

Nathan told deputies the earlier argument gave no indication that the evening would turn violent. Investigators said they had not found any suicide note, and a motive remained unclear for the killings in Lakeland, between Tampa and Orlando.

"They argued a little bit, but nothing significant," Judd said.

It wasn't the first argument for the couple who'd been married for 10 years. According to an arrest affidavit, Troy Bellar accused his wife of hitting, punching and scratching him in March. Wendy Bellar was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery, and the case was pending.

Sunday night's gunfire sent panicked neighbors to their phones to dial 911. One of them told an emergency dispatcher she saw the teen "running around in the garage with his hands up, and like screaming," according to a recording of the call.

After Nathan safely reached the home of another neighbor, that woman relayed information from him to a 911 dispatcher.

"A boy's here at my house that lives there and says that his dad shot his mom and there's a baby there," the neighbor, who was not identified, told a 911 operator.

"I know this is going to be very hard for you to ask him," the operator said. "Is his mom still alive?"

After an exchange between the neighbor and the boy, the woman told the operator: "She got shot in the head."

Wife, sons were found on porch
Deputies arrived at a horrific scene: Wendy Bellar and her two young sons dead from gunshot wounds in their screened-in porch and their father lifeless in the front yard. A preliminary investigation indicates that more than 10 rounds were fired in all.

"It left veteran detectives and crime scene technicians that do this for a living stunned last night," Judd said.

Image: Wendy Bellar
AP
Wendy Bellar

Detectives praised the surviving teen for being helpful.

"He cried some, as you can imagine," Judd said. "As he should have done. And he was very quiet. And we were very delicate with him."

Investigators say Troy Bellar ran a home remodeling and handyman business, which next-door neighbor Doug Lane said seemed to do a steady business despite the economic downturn.

"He said the remodeling had dropped off, but he was doing repair work for commercial apartments and that sort of thing," Lane said. "He said that he was staying busy."

Judd couldn't say if the family was experiencing any financial difficulties.

Records show the husband had been arrested twice in the county, on suspicion of armed robbery and aggravated battery in 1994 and for driving under the influence in 1999. He was convicted of petit/retail theft in the first case and of driving under the influence in the second.

But if the couple argued before, Lane said he never heard them. He said he saw them sitting outside together Sunday evening, giving no indication that anything was wrong.

"Troy and Wendy were good, good neighbors," Lane said. "Fortunate to know them. Just an awful shock."

Original: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30555915/




Dade City woman's family feared her husband before murder-suicide (FL)

Husband kills wife then himself May 2, 2009

By Camille C. Spencer, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Tuesday, May 5, 2009

DADE CITY — The Scotts' marriage had been strained for some time, according to friends and family members. But in the month leading up to Terry Wayne Scott's decision to kill his wife and then himself, authorities say, things unraveled quickly.

In early April, Veronica Scott discovered her husband of 10 years was cheating on her.

A few weeks later, Zephyrhills police showed up at the couple's 2-acre pasture on Mount Vernon Road to investigate whether Terry Wayne Scott was stealing items from his job at Advance Auto Parts and selling the goods on eBay.

His wife cooperated with investigators, and Terry Wayne Scott, 59, was charged April 17 with grand theft — his first arrest.

Five days later, Veronica Scott, 48, filed for divorce.

Veronica Scott's relatives say years of emotional abuse and the discovery of her husband's infidelity led her to file for divorce. They say she feared her husband, who often isolated himself and avoided his wife's family gatherings.

But they say they never expected him to kill her.

"She'd been unhappy for a long, long time," said Cindy Barthle, 46, Veronica's sister. "Part of what made him crack is that he's a control freak, and she never stood up to him."

Pasco County Sheriff's deputies came to the couple's home Saturday night after co-workers were concerned that Veronica Scott missed her shift at Pasco Regional Medical Center, where she was an administrative supervisor.

They found husband and wife in the garage, both dead of gunshot wounds.

• • •

On April 17, Zephyrhills police met Veronica Scott at the couple's home. The manager at the auto parts store where Terry Wayne Scott worked had reported a "huge inventory loss" at the store.

Inside the garage of the Scotts' home, the report said, police found a blue cooler filled with new auto parts from the store, including a fuel pump, a propane tank and packs of batteries.

Terry Wayne Scott also stored items in Veronica Scott's 2008 Toyota Tacoma truck, the report said, and used her name as the sender of the items, which he sold on eBay.

A few months earlier, his son told police, he asked Terry Wayne Scott where all the auto parts came from.

"Five-finger discount," was the reply.

• • •

Veronica Scott was born in San Francisco and grew up in Dade City. She was the oldest of five children. Her family runs Roberts Vault Company in Dade City.

Terry Wayne Scott was her fourth husband.

Veronica Scott had two sons. One, a teenager, was adopted by Terry Wayne Scott, and lived with the couple.

Terry Wayne Scott had been married once before, and had an adult son and a teen daughter.

Veronica Scott's mother, Donna Roberts, said her daughter loved horses and owned four.

She said her daughter loved her job at the Dade City hospital, where she was awarded a Nurse of the Year honor in 2003. She was chosen from a pool of 90 nurses.

Donna Roberts said her daughter had grown to fear her husband.

"It's unbelievable, but knowing him, we were expecting him to do something bad," she said. "She said he wouldn't hurt her, but we thought he was violent."

Amanda Martin, assistant chief nursing officer at the hospital, had worked with Veronica Scott since 1996.

"She was a great friend and confidante that you could talk to," she said. "I can't say in words how much she'll be a loss to our facility."

Martin said she knew of her co-worker's troubles with Terry Wayne Scott.

"He put her through a lot for a long time," she said. "She would tell stories of how she wanted out. He was very verbally abusive."

Ronnie Bearden, 51, Veronica Scott's ex-husband and father of her oldest son, said his ex-wife enjoyed outdoor activities like camping and fishing.

"She liked to go to the firing range with me," said the retired sheriff's deputy, who lives in Georgia. "She could shoot a gun as good as I could."

The two split amicably in the early '80s, and Veronica Scott moved to Florida. Their son stayed with Bearden in Georgia.

Once, Bearden said, their son was hospitalized in an ICU after a bad car accident. Veronica and Terry Wayne Scott stopped by the hospital, Bearden said.

"He didn't want her to stay (at the hospital) at all," Bearden said. "She said she was scared of him. Every time they got into an argument, he said she wasn't leaving him."

Veronica Scott's brother, Steve Roberts, 41, said his sister's husband didn't want her around her family, and avoided family gatherings.

He said Terry Wayne Scott should have dealt with his problems instead of taking his life and his wife's.

"Instead of facing what he had coming to him," Steve said, "he took the cowardly way out."

• • •

Last month, Veronica Scott discovered her husband was cheating after she found love letters to other women, Steve Roberts said.

She talked to her attorney and officials at the Pasco County Sheriff's Office about filing a restraining order, said her sister, Cindy Barthle, but records show one was never filed.

On Monday, Barthle thought about an upcoming trip out-of-state that Veronica Scott planned to take with her mom and sister.

Now, says Barthle, "it just feels like a nightmare."

Times researcher Shirl Kennedy contributed to this story. Camille C. Spencer can be reached at (813) 909-4609 or cspencer@sptimes.com.



[Last modified: May 04, 2009 09:24 PM]

Original: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article998074.ece

A Family is Dead and Shreveport Investigators Point to Murder-Suicide (LA)

Husband kills wife and child, then himself May 5, 2009

Reported by: Amber Miller

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 @06:42pm CST


Shreveport police responded to the 8900 block of Brandon Drive in Shreveport after receiving a welfare call. Police say a relative of the victim called concerned that their family member did not show up to work. When police arrived at the victim's home three bodies were found inside.

Investigators believe 36-year-old Billy Hardy shot and killed his wife, 33-year-old Jolyne Hardy and their 3-year-old son before turning the gun on himself.

Billy Hardy's bestfriend says he doesn't believe Hardy pulled the trigger, stating he loved his family too much.

Other neighbors tell KTAL they wished the gunman, whomever it was, would have sought help before making such a tragic decision.

The couple both worked for the Willis Knighton system. KTAL was told they had been married for five years.

Original: http://arklatexhomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=62771

911 call from neighbor leads Lenoir police to apparent murder-suicide (NC)

Husband kills wife, then himself May 3, 2009

Note found on apartment door; husband, wife found dead

Published: May 5, 2009

LENOIR - Police are investigating a murder-suicide of a husband and wife after a neighbor found a note on an apartment door that said to call 911.

Robin and Larry Jarvis were married in 1986, said Capt. Sid Pope with the Lenoir Police Department.

The couple was found dead in Larry Jarvis' apartment at the Meadowood Garden Apartment complex on Meadowood Drive at 9:10 a.m. Sunday. Both were dead from gunshot wounds, though police are waiting for autopsy results to confirm how they died, Pope said.

Pope said the couple separated in February, and the murder-suicide happened in Larry's apartment. Robin lived on Catawba River Road in Old Fort.

"They were together earlier in the day and it was all consensual," Pope said.

Police are investigating what happened that led to the murder-suicide. Pope said Larry left a note.

"It looks like he claimed responsibility for what happened through a note," Pope said.

And although Larry and Robin were found inside Larry's apartment, Pope said it doesn't appear as though both died there.

"It looks like the shooting happened in his truck, which was outside," Pope said.

He added that police are still investigating whether the shooting happened in his truck while it was parked in the parking lot, or if it happened elsewhere.

Pope said neighbors reported hearing no gunshots. They were called to the apartment complex only after a neighbor saw the note on the door, telling someone to call 911.

Pope said Larry, 53, had only lived at the apartment for about a month. Pope said that prior to that, Larry and Robin, 50, lived in a house together. He said he was unaware of domestic complaints.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Lenoir Police Department, at 757-2100, or the Caldwell County Crime Stoppers, at 758-8300.

Original: http://www2.hickoryrecord.com/content/2009/may/05/911-call-neighbor-leads-lenoir-police-apparent-mur/

Deputies investigate attempted murder-suicide (FL)

UPDATE: As of May 6, 2009 the wife has died from the gun shot wound. Apparently the husband left a suicide note and in it he was concerned for his wife's poor health.


Flagler County Sheriff's Office is investigating an attempted murder-suicide at a home in Plantation Bay this morning.

Initial reports from the scene indicate that Richard Nickel, 75, shot his wife, Gail, 72 and then turned the gun on himself inside the couple’s home on Kingsley Lane in the development.

Gail Nickel was transported to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where a hospital spokeswoman said she was in critical but stable condition. Richard Nickel was found dead.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is processing the scene and the investigation of the incident continues.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Original: http://www.news-journalonline.com/newsjournalonline/breakingnews/deaths050509.htm

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Portland man dead, wife injured in suspected murder-suicide (OR)

Mans shoots wife, injuring her, then kills himself May 2, 2009

Original: http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_050209_news_murder_suicide_portland.12446dbc.html

04:37 PM PDT on Saturday, May 2, 2009
By MIKE BENNER, KGW Staff

PORTLAND -- One man is dead and his wife injured after an attempted murder suicide in Southeast Portland.

Under overcast skies, more than a dozen investigators gathered outside the home Saturday morning. An hour earlier, detectives say, the woman who lives inside called police and said she had just been shot by her husband. It happened about 9 Saturday morning in the 1100 block of SE 135th.

“Based on things the woman was saying, they felt it was necessary to attempt a rescue of the woman inside the house,” said Detective Mary Wheat of the Portland Police Bureau.

Jolting awake neighbors who live nearby, a countless number of officers raced to the scene. “They were jumping out of the car with their assault rifles and running up the street. I don't know if they knew what was going on when they showed up,” added Greg Fort, a neighbor.

The officers broke down the door and rushed inside. That is where they discovered one man dead and his wife injured. “We believe, at this point, the husband shot the woman, his wife, and then himself,” said Wheat. The woman was taken to a local hospital, but detectives would not say how many times her husband shot her, or where.

“We're not going to comment right now on where she was shot. She is going to survive, which is great news,” added Wheat.

Some neighbors were too shaken to talk about the incident. Others said the couple was very interested in keeping their neighborhood safe. “He and his wife were going to help us put up some security cameras at the neighbor's house where we have some graffiti issues. They seemed like very nice people,” said Fort.

Detectives must now determine why the husband shot his wife before turning the gun on himself.

“[It's] Very sad, and we have to take a look at what was going on as far as domestic violence issues and we'll look at all that and try to make sure we get the victim the help she needs,” added Wheat.

Police were not releasing the names of the victims. They said no one else was inside the home at the time of the shooting.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Update on suspected murder-suicide near Galesburg (MI)

Man kills 16 yo, shot 15 yo; then himself April 29, 2009

Original: http://www.wwmt.com/articles/galesburg-1361990-suicide-suspected.html

NEAR GALESBURG, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - New information is emerging about a suspected murder-suicide near Galesburg.

Two people are dead, a man and a teenage girl. Detectives are looking into reports that two teenage girls had been hired by Nicholas Arbutina on Miller Drive to do some cleaning.

The two teens, 16-year-old Tanika Heard, and 15-year-old Brianna Washington, were visiting the home.

67-year-old Nicholas Arbutina is believed to have pulled a gun on the girls, shooting and killing Tanika Heard with a shotgun.

Brianna Washington was also shot, but managed to take off running down the road, going to the gas station complex at Miller and 35th Street for help.

Newschannel 3 cameras were there to capture the police presence that rushed into the area around 7:00 Wednesday night.

Nicholas Arbutina ultimately shot and killed himself.

Investigators say he lived alone at the home on Miller Drive.

The folks at the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department just released the name of that shooter late Thursday afternoon.

Newschannel 3 also spoke to the father of the 16-year-old girl who was killed. He says his daughter had been working for the shooter for about a year, doing chores at the house.

On Thursday, the father described his daughter as a beautiful, outgoing girl. Tanika Heard had just turned 16. Her 15-year-old foster sister, Brianna Washington, was her best friend.

The pair was at the house on Miller Drive Wednesday evening when the violence started.

Tanika was shot dead in the driveway of the home, and when Brianna took off running, her foster dad says she was shot in the back as she headed for the gas station complex to get help.

Police rushed to the scene, finding Tanika outside the house, along with the shooter.

67-year-old Nicholas Arbutina was a caretaker living in a house next to the main home on the Miller Drive property.

"We're still trying to put it all together," said Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller, "knowing they were familiar with each other, the people at the house had all been there before."

Tanika's father says the teenage girls had been doing chores for Arbutina for about a year. The only witness to the scene is Brianna, who is recovering in the hospital after being shot in the torso.

Tanika's father says Brianna told him that Arbutina tried to sexually assault one of the girls, and when Tanika hit him, he pulled a gun.

Newschannel 3 looked into Arbutina's criminal history, and back in 2004 he pleaded guilty to soliciting a prostitute. Investigators say Arbutina's family lives out of the area.

Investigators say they are looking into the allegations of assault, but have not confirmed anything at this point.

Newschannel 3 has been told that funeral arrangements for Tanika Heard are being handled by Langeland Funeral Homes.

Brianna Washington is currently in the hospital being treated for a one gunshot wound to the torso, she is listed as being in stable condition. Newschannel 3 has been told that she was able to talk to detectives and may be the one with the answers as to what exactly occurred.

Interestingly enough, I found this article: On day of victim's funeral, an alleged stalking victim comes forward. Apparently this man had a habit of trying to get young girls to work for him; and police confirmed that there may be others

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Police Investigating Suspicious Death In Leesburg Home (VA)

Husband kills wife, then himself April 29, 2009

Original: http://www.wusa9.com/news/breaking/story.aspx?storyid=85053&catid=158

LEESBURG, Va. (WUSA) -- Detectives have identified the couple found dead in their Leesburg townhouse early Wednesday morning, leaving their three young children without parents.

A spokesperson for the Leesburg Police Department tells 9NEWS NOW they found the couple in their upstairs bedroom. Inam Uddin, 47, was found dead along with his wife, Nusrat Uddin, 36, died at the hospital.

Police say they received a call from the house at 844 Smartt Lane in the Potomac Crossing subdivision around 4:45 a.m. Police are calling the deaths suspicious but are looking into the possibility this could be a murder suicide. They say they are not looking for any suspects.

Police say the wife ran a daycare in the home, but no daycare children were inside. Parents trying to drop their kids off this morning were turned away by police. Police cannot say whether the home was a licensed daycare at this time.

Police say the couple's children ages 5, 12 and 14 were asleep during the incident and were told about their parents death by child protective services.

9NEWS NOW talked with neighbors who have been on edge with recent crimes in the area. Potomac Crossing is four miles away from Lansdowne, the scene of where William Bennett was beaten to death in March. Police say the incident on Wednesday in Leesburg has no connection to any current investigation going on in the county.

Written by Surae Chinn
9NEWS NOW & wusa9.com

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Pumpkin's father faces court

Pumpkin's father faces court

  • April 24, 2009 - 9:20AM

A New Zealand man accused of murdering his wife in Auckland and abandoning his infant daughter in Melbourne has faced court in preparation for his trial.

Nai Yin Xue, 54, is accused of strangling his 27-year-old wife, An An Liu, in Auckland in September 2007 before fleeing to Melbourne and dumping his three-year-old daughter at Southern Cross railway station.

Qian Xun Xue, nicknamed Pumpkin, was found wandering the station alone after her father fled to the United States.

Xue, dressed in a crumpled white shirt and looking thinner than he once was, appeared in Auckland's High Court today to hear discussions on preparations for his case, set down to start in early June.

He listened through an interpreter while crown prosecutor Aaron Perkins told the court evidence would be presented from "a very large number" of witnesses in three countries - New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

Justice Hugh Williams adjourned the case until May 14 to discuss which witnesses would be called and how their evidence would be heard.

Xue was on the run in the United States for more than four months before he was apprehended in February 2008 and returned to New Zealand.

He pleaded not guilty to the murder.

His applications for bail have been denied as the court judged him a serious flight risk.

Pumpkin now lives in China with her grandmother.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Four killed in Baltimore hotel room in apparent murder-suicide (MD)

Man kills wife and two daughters, then himself April 20, 2009

Original: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/04/21/2009-04-21_four_killed_in_baltimore_hotel_room_in_apparent_murdersuicide_were_family_from_l.html

Updated Tuesday, April 21st 2009, 2:20 PM

Sweeney/AP/Baltimore Sun

A Baltimore County Police officer gets supplies from a forensic van to aid in the investigation into the deaths of a family from Long Island at a Sheraton hotel tin Townson, Md.

A beloved Manhattan lawyer killed his wife and two daughters in a Maryland hotel room and then took his own life in a sickening murder-suicide, cops said Tuesday.

A hotel worker found the bodies of 59-year-old William Parente; his wife, Betty, 58, and daughters - Stephanie, 19, and Catherine, 11 - in their hotel room in Towson on Monday, Baltimore County cops said.

Police refused to disclose the cause of death but noted the victims were not shot or stabbed; they also would not reveal ifthere was a note. It remained unclear what triggered William Parente, a tax and estate planning lawyer, to do the unthinkable.

"The why and the motive in this is just a big blank right now," said Police Cpl. Michael Hill.

Investigators were examining a complaint they received Tuesday from a Queens lawyer about William Parente's financial dealings, said state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

The Parentes' neighbors along their quiet block in tony Garden City, L.I., were stunned by the sudden and violent end to what seemed to be a picture-perfect family. "They loved each other, they loved those girls and the girls loved them," said next-door neighbor Robert Krener, 64, whosaid he was unaware of anystress - financial or otherwise - that William Parente wasunder.

The family also had a home in Westhampton Beach, L.I.

"It's completely incomprehensible," said Krener, who, with his wife, would occasionally dine with the Parentes.

Marianne Quinn, 53, who described herself as Betty Parente's "best friend," said she thought William Parente may have been depressed over his mom's death; the one-year anniversary of her passing was last week.

Most friends said the deeply religious Catholic couple was outgoing and warm - the type of neighbors who brought gifts to new families on the block.

"If you were in a bad mood, they snapped you right out of it," said Catherine Grasman, who runs a kennel in Floral Park, L.I., where the Parentes would bring their two Maltese pooches, Buttons and Cupcake.

"When they came in, they lit up the room."

Police said the family was lastspotted alive Sunday afternoon, not long after they shared what seemed to be a pleasant breakfast together. The Parentes were visiting Stephanie, a sophomore at Baltimore's Loyola College.

The teenager's death left the Catholic campus shaken."She was the last person you would think had anything wrong in her life," said sophomore Pooja Bhatnagar, 19. "I saw her Friday, before she was going to meet with her family, and she was happy. Everything seemed okay."

Betty Parente, a stay-at-home mom who moved with her family from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, to Long Island a dozen years ago, was on the board of the Tri Town Auxiliary of United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau County.

"She loved her daughters with every fiber of her body," said neighbor Linda Mattei.

"This is a shock to everybody."

rschapiro@nydailynews.com