posted 7:24 pm Mon June 14, 2010 - Scottsburg, VA reporter: Ashley Singh posted by: Amy Foster from ABC 13
Halifax County officials believe marriage problems are what led to a murder-suicide this weekend.
It happened in the parking lot of Short Stop Convenience Store near Scottsburg on Saturday.
Police say by the time they got there, they found 23-year-old Wendy Diane Riley dead from a torso wound.
They found her husband, 29-year-old David Michael Riley, lying nearby. He later died.
The Short Stop Convenience Store owner said he has never seen anything like this. Even for deputies, a murder-suicide is rare. Investigators say it has been at least 10 years since they responded to one.
Wendy Riley David Riley
Photo courtesy: The News and Record
"It tears the community all to pieces because like I say we're not used to situations like this happening in Halifax County," Major Thomas Logan with the Halifax County Sheriff's office said.
Logan says by the time they got there, it was too late. Wendy Riley was dead.
The shooting happened right outside Mike Patel's convenience store.
"It was horrible, terrible," he said.
Patel was inside the convenience store when he heard what he thought was a car backfiring. When he got outside, he saw a woman lying on the ground. Then, he watched the man standing next to her.
"He not try to threat anybody else. He had not done anything else he just kill his wife and kill himself. But it was sad it was real sad," Patel said.
Patel says there was a woman standing next to Wendy, when it happened. He says she saw everything.
"She was shocked and she was not moving because she was scared so I took her from that place and then she started shouting and crying," he said.
Logan says the shooting was a tragedy, one that's hurt many people, especially their families.
"It's hard for the family to deal with. We've talked to them and it struck them and they're real upset," he said.
Officials say the couple had a daughter who is being taken care of by other family members.
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