Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Country Club Hills, IL: Country Club Hills Couple Dead In Murder-Suicide

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, Ill. (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―

A man shot a woman multiple times before turning the gun on himself Sunday afternoon in a home in south suburban Country Club Hills in what police are investigating as a murder-suicide.

Willie J. Watkins Jr. of 18056 Birch Ave. and Maria Davis, 49, of 3820 172nd, both of Country Club Hills, were found dead Sunday in Davis' home, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

Country Club Hills Police Chief Regina Evans said in a release Monday afternoon that preliminary results of autopsies conducted by the medical examiner's office indicate an apparent murder-suicide.

Davis was the victim of a shooting that occurred at her home, and died of multiple gunshot wounds, the release said. The second body was identified as Watkins, 55, died of a single gunshot wound to the head, the release said.

The nature of the relationship between the two remains unclear, the release said, and the police investigation of the shootings continues.

Police initially responded to a call at 2:57 p.m. Sunday, when a Davis family member reported finding two bodies at the family home, the release said

Davis was employed as a secretary at Southwood Junior High School in Country Club Hills and the school was offering grief counseling Monday morning for staff and students.

"Some of the staff have been sent back home due to the shock of the situation," village spokeswoman Marge Seltzer said.

A Cook County Medical Examiner's office spokesperson could not immediately confirm the autopsy results at 1 p.m. Monday.

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