By Kent Dinnebier
WORLD-HERALD NEWS SERVICE
SHAMBAUGH, Iowa — The deaths Wednesday night of two Shambaugh residents were being investigated as a murder-suicide, law enforcement officials said Thursday.
The bodies of Frank Harley McCoy, 68, and his wife, Karen K. McCoy, were found at their home at 506 Second St.
The Clarinda Safety Center received a 911 call Wednesday just after 7:30 p.m. from Frank McCoy indicating he had killed his wife and was going to kill himself, according to a statement released by the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
“These are things that are supposed to happen somewhere else, not in our neighborhood,” said Pastor Scott Denham of Harvest Fellowship Church in Shambaugh.
“Everyone is shocked and confused because there are so many different stories going around,” Shambaugh resident Catherine McIntyre said Thursday morning.
Wednesday night, Denham was holding a prayer meeting at the church and had stepped out to take a telephone call when he saw the flashing lights from emergency vehicles responding to the 911 call.
“I don't know if I have ever seen as many police vehicles as that in one place in my life. You got the sense there were serious events going down,” Denham said.
Law enforcement personnel secured the home and made numerous attempts to contact the couple. When no one responded, a team of officers entered the home and found the McCoys' bodies.
Ron Grebert of Clarinda said Thursday afternoon he had spoken briefly with Frank McCoy on Wednesday afternoon at the Clarinda Country Club.
“He seemed like normal,” Grebert said. “He was a pretty easygoing type of guy. I just can't believe it. It's kind of shocking.”
During the police response, seven homes in the area were evacuated and the residents sent to Harvest Fellowship Church. Among those evacuated were Shambaugh Mayor Ron Peterman and his wife, Mary.
Mary Peterman said a Page County sheriff's deputy came to their door about 8 p.m. and told them to go to the church.
“It's not anything you expect, but we were not necessarily surprised by it. We had heard the sirens on the highway and knew something was going on, but we did not know what,” Peterman said.
Although the mood of the people who went to the church was calm, Pastor Denham said there was also concern for everyone involved.
Residents were able to return to their homes after 11 p.m.
“You're shocked by it (the apparent murder-suicide) because it's not something you ever expect. It's tragic,” Peterman said.
“I couldn't believe it when I heard it,” McIntyre said. “I thought they were OK. I don't know what went wrong.”
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Page County Sheriff's Office, Page County Attorney Jeremy Peterson and the Clarinda Police Department were attempting to sort it all out on Thursday.
Autopsies were scheduled at the State Medical Examiner's Office in Ankeny.
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