Monday, February 15, 2010

Whitewater, KS: Murder and Attempted Suicide in Butler County

Posted: Feb 13, 2010 11:06 PM EST
Updated: Feb 15, 2010 12:46 AM EST

The crime scene.

Evidence is removed from the crime scene.
Latest Update

By Cliff Judy (BUTLER COUNTY, Kan.)

Investigators with the Butler County Sheriff's Office are looking into a murder and attempted suicide of a Whitewater couple. Eyewitness News has learned the man involved is a volunteer firefighter with the Whitewater Fire Department.

Sheriff's investigators were called out to a home on Highway 196 near Whitewater around 6:30 Saturday night. Someone who knew the man and woman who lived there hadn't heard from them in several days and asked that authorities check on them.

When Whitewater firefighters and Harvey County paramedics arrived on scene, authorities found a woman dead. Butler County Sheriff Craig Murphy says she'd been shot. Murphy says he's still waiting on autopsy results for a positive ID, but believes her to be the 48-year-old woman who lived at the house.

Her 49-year-old husband was still alive, but in critical condition. Paramedics took him to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Sheriff Murphy declined to elaborate, but says the man did not suffer any gunshot wounds.

The names have not been released.

Friends of the couple say they were shocked to hear of the murder-suicide attempt. Brian Johnson volunteered with the man on the Whitewater Fire Department.

"This threw everyone for a loop," says Johnson. "These are the most amazing people. If you met them separate or together, you'd say these people love life."

Johnson says he didn't see any warning signs leading up to the shooting.

Sheriff Murphy also says he doesn't yet know why the shooting happened.

"We have not been able to talk to the male yet that was involved," says Sheriff Murphy. "We have talked to some witnesses, but about all we're coming up with is speculation here and speculation there."

The woman's autopsy was scheduled for Sunday.

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