Sunday, January 3, 2010

Newaygo, MI: Two dead in murder-suicide in Newaygo

Angela Cunningham

Newaygo, Mich. (WZZM) - A husband and wife in Montcalm County are both dead and investigators are trying to figure out what happened.

The two were found in their home in the 23000 block of Countyline Road Saturday.

The couple, 52-year-old Mike and 59-year-old Sandy Lanore, have been married for 21 years.

That marriage ended with the sound of early morning gun shots.

The Michigan State Police arrived at the couple's Newaygo home Saturday evening after receiving a call from family and friends.

They had gone by the house after becoming concered that Sandy did not show up for work.

When they arrived, police found both Sandy and Mike dead in the living room. It appears both had been shot.

Police say they also found a gun in between the couple's bodies.

Police are investigating this as a murder-suicide but will not say which one was the shooter.

"(We are) not willing to disclose that at this time," said Trooper Jeff Hoffman with the Michigan State Police. "Until the autoposy is done, we will not know who was shot first."

We talked to one of the couple's sons who says his parents have had a history of abuse and marital problems for years.

Despite what police said, he believes the couple may have shot each other during a fight in which Sandy was attempting to leave the house.

He says among other things, they found a second weapon in the house.

"We think they got into an arugment," said Brandon Harmon, the couple's son. "There was a lot of alcohol involved and they just lost it and shot each other. I saw the weapon and a wiskey bottle."

Again police are not giving any information about the weapon or weapons involved in this case.

They say they will release all of that after an autopsy which is expected in the coming days.



Murder-suicide claims Newaygo married couple

January 03, 2010 11:30 AM
State police say they are investigating an apparent murder-suicide in Montcalm County. Troopers were called to the home on 233555 W. County Line Road in Newaygo, northwest of Howard City on Saturday.

The homeowners, a couple Michael Joseph, 52, and Sandra Kay Lenore, 59, were both found dead in the home. The Montcalm County Medical Examiner conducted autopsies on Sunday.

The preliminary autopsy results pending toxicology reports are that Sandra died from a single gunshot wound to the head and ruled a homicide. Michael died from a gunshot wound to the head and ruled a suicide.

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