Murder Suicide Reported in Molalla

A guest staying the night was not harmed.

Salem-News.com

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - Just after midnight, members of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office patrol responded to a report of a murder - suicide at an address in Molalla, Oregon.

Detective Jim Strovink with the Clackamas Sheriff says investigators responded to this rural residence located at 30273 South Hwy 213, in Molalla, where they discovered that the male and female married couple who resided at this address were both dead; both victims of an apparent murder - suicide.

Members of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit, Clackamas County Medical Examiners Office and the Clackamas County Sheriff's Crime Scene Identification (CSI) Unit were summoned to the crime scene to complete this investigation.

A mutual female friend of this couple told police they had been out to dinner and consuming alcohol earlier in the evening. After this socializing time, all three returned to the residence on South Hwy 213 and the female guest went to sleep in a separate room in this home.

Around midnight, this guest recalls awakening with the loud sounds of a very vocal and physical domestic disturbance. Responding to this noise, this guest peered down the hallway and observed the couple in the kitchen area – with the male armed with a handgun.

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"Moments later this armed male shoots his spouse -- killing her instantly – then walked to a separate location in the home and shot himself dead using the same handgun," Strovink said.

The witnessing guest heard these gunshots and ran from the residence calling the Clackamas County Communications Center, immediately reporting this unfortunate fatal event.

Strovink says no children were present inside the home at the time of the incident; however, an eight-year old daughter of the deceased male resides with the custodial and biological mother in an adjoining County.

Family notifications continue to be accomplished by authorities; consequently, the names of the deceased - both born in the late 1970's - have not been released.

Crime scene investigators have departed from the scene and the deceased have been removed by the Clackamas County Deputy Medical Examiner.