Saturday, February 25, 2012

Colorado Springs, CO: UPDATE: Coroner rules double shooting a murder-suicide

THE GAZETTE
A southeast Colorado Springs man apparently fatally shot his wife and then shot himself Tuesday evening, according to the El Paso County coroner's office.

The autopy report released Friday determined the double shooting at 9108 Chieftan Drive was a murder-suicide and identified Jeffrey Lawrence, 29, and Tara Buckler, 27, as the two people who died.

Both Lawrence and Buckler died of gunshot wounds to the head, the report said, indicating Buckler's death was ruled a homicide and Lawrence's a suicide.

Lawrence and Buckler were found dead at the home when sheriff's deputies responded to a call just after 6 p.m. Tuesday, said Sgt. Mike Schaller, an El Paso County Sheriff's spokesman.

Sheriff's deputies also found three children, age 10 and under, outside the house when they arrived. The children were not injured and are staying with a relative, according to the sheriff's office.

Emergency radio traffic and neighbors indicated that a 10-year-old child called 911 from inside the house.

Residents in the neighborhood said the Colorado Springs fire department was the first agency to arrive at the house.

Megan Grant said firefighters found the children hiding in the basement. Grant said she was alerted to the incident when she heard the children's grandmother yell in agony.

The house is in the Colorado Centre neighborhood southeast of the Colorado Springs Airport. According to county records, Lawrence bought the home in March 2006 and the couple has been married since August 2007.

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