Helena, AL: Names released in Helena murder-suicide case

By Amy Jones (Contact) | Shelby County Reporter
Published Tuesday, December 1, 2009

HELENA — The names of the couple involved in the Nov. 30 murder-suicide in Helena have been released.

Martha Wisham, 66, and her husband, Ken Wisham, 71, died in the incident.

The murder-suicide occurred in the Laurel Woods neighborhood of Helena, according to Helena Police Capt. Tim Carter.

At approximately 5:15 p.m., Helena police responded to a distress call in the 300 block of Laurel Woods Lane.

When they arrived at the scene, officers knocked on the door and were told to leave the premises by a woman. Shortly thereafter, a gunshot went off inside the house.

Officers forced entry and found Martha Wisham with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot to the chest. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

Upon searching the house, the officers found her husband, Ken Wisham, dead in an upstairs bedroom. He had been shot twice in the torso.

Carter said police are still investigating a possible motive in the shootings.