Man kills wife, self in North Stafford

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BY JIM LAWRENCE
FOR THE STAFFORD COUNTY SUN
Published: July 21, 2009

STAFFORD — Police say a man killed his wife and then himself at the couple’s North Stafford home.

Norman Harris North, 55, and his wife Deborah Sue North, 46, of 112 Jib Drive were both found dead Sunday morning, said Maj. David Decatur of the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.

A family member reported to police that she had found Deborah North’s body in the basement of their home. The family member believed that Deborah North’s husband had killed her, said Decatur. She further reported that the couple had a “domestic altercation the night before,” in which Norman North physically assaulted his wife, though the incident went unreported at that time, Decatur said.

Deputies were informed that Norman North was a retired Marine who possessed numerous weapons, perhaps even explosive devices, and had a history of drugs and alcohol abuse, Decatur said.

Deputies reported to the Aquia Bay Estates home, and police believed that Norman North was “in or around the residence,” said Decatur.

Police made a “tactical entry” and found Deborah North dead on the basement floor, shot in the neck. In a nearby chair, deputies found the body of Norman North, dead from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head” and dressed in his military battle dress uniform, Decatur said.

“He was armed at the time with numerous different firearms … he had a large knife on him as well. He had numerous firearms — handguns, shotguns, rifles with him in the basement. He had a large quantity and assortment of ammunition as well … weapons and ammunition were strategically placed in different locations in the basement, which gave the indication he was preparing for an armed confrontation.”

— Jim Lawrence