Monday, December 26, 2011

Santa Cruz, CA: Husband, Wife In Santa Cruz Murder-Suicide ID'd

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- An elderly husband and wife who were both shot in the head in a suspected murder-suicide in Santa Cruz were identified Monday.

Ray Wiens, 90, of Santa Cruz, and his wife, Kathryn Wiens, 88, of Santa Cruz, lived together on the 100 block of Sims Road in northern Santa Cruz County, sheriff's deputies said.

Investigators suspect the couple's worsening health motivated them to kill themselves Friday afternoon.

"Deputies believe that the deteriorating health of the elderly couple was the main factor in this incident," Santa Cruz Sgt. Mark Yanez said.

Ray Wiens shot his wife in the head with a handgun moments before committing suicide inside their home which sits in a quiet wooded neighborhood down the street from Brook Knoll Elementary School, deputies said.

Unfortunately, Kathryn Wiens somehow survived taking a bullet to the head. She was still alive when a family friend found her and her husband, who was dead on the floor, just before 4 p.m. Friday. She was unconscious and paramedics airlifted her in a helicopter to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

Kathryn Wiens died on Christmas morning in the hospital, deputies said.

Read more: http://www.ksbw.com/news/30082221/detail.html#ixzz1hlOlGpaT

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