YORK COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) — Deputies with the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office are investigating a murder-suicide in the Grafton area Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.
The murder-suicide involved an elderly couple and happened at the corner of Thornrose Drive and Glen Laurel Way, the sheriff’s office confirmed.
Sheriff Ron Montgomery told WAVY’s Markeshia Jackson the husband appeared to pull a gun on his wife before shooting himself. The husband was 90 years old and the wife was 88 and suffering from severe dementia.
A preliminary investigation revealed the family of the couple had an alarming phone conversation with the elderly couple in the early morning hours. Hours later, they found the two dead, both suffering from gunshot wounds. The two had been married for more than 70 years.
“The older couple always seemed kind of quiet to themselves as far as I knew,” said neighbor Addison Powell. “It’s a shock absolutely, not something you really hear about in this area, usually a pretty quiet area.”
Neighbors hope this inspires others to continue checking on their loved ones, so that this doesn’t become a trend.
“We had one four or five months ago that was a husband and wife, exact same scenario that was a murder-suicide,” Montgomery said.
“Sometimes people just need help, need checked on, need somebody to talk to, and maybe it could be prevented,” said a resident who asked to remain anonymous. “God knows I wish it could be.”
Montgomery says it is a sad scene, as deputies are led to believe this was done to stop the wife’s suffering.
“It pulls at your heartstrings because it’s hard to imagine, sometimes, that you can get in a situation where you love someone that you see them suffering all the time,” Montgomery said, “that this is the means that you’re willing to go to the end that suffering, which it appears in this case is exactly what happened.”
The names of the couple have not yet been revealed.
If you or someone you love is going through a hard time, help is out there. Reach out to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. They also offer Chat services and deaf/HoH help on their website here.
