Thursday, August 19, 2010

West Bloomfield, MI: West Bloomfield wife filed for divorce prior to husband's apparent murder-suicide attempt

Published: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 7:00 AM Updated: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 7:25 AM
Jonathan Oosting | MLive.com

Fox 2 Video: Wife dead, husband stabbed in West Bloomfield
Ellery Bennett arrived at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak on Wednesday with knife wounds to his chest and neck, telling officials they would find another victim at his home in West Bloomfield.

After following up on his tip -- and finding his wife's dead body at the home along with an apparent murder-suicide note -- police now believe Bennett's wounds were self-inflicted.

Authorities tell Fox 2 they found 46-year-old Lisa Bennett in the couple's master bedroom, a blanket covering up her own fatal stab wounds. Three relatives were in the home when police arrived, including the couple's 10-year-old daughter, but did not appear to be aware of the situation.

"Right now, what it looks like is that he did not intend to make it through the evening, and it looks like this was going to be a murder-suicide attempt," West Bloomfield Police Sgt. Bob Spencer told the television station.

While the couple does not have a history of domestic violence, Lisa Bennett filed for divorce one week ago, as first reported by WXYZ. Her attorney tells The Detroit Free Press the couple's marriage was strained by mounting debts resulting from the husband's failed business ventures.

Ellery Bennett remains under guard at the hospital as police continue to interview him and investigate the suspected homicide.

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