Portland, OR: Bodies found in N. Portland were murder-suicide

UPDATE: Police say a Vancouver man killed woman and then shot himself
The Portland Tribune, Sep 10, 2010, Updated Sep 10, 2010

Police say a murder-suicide caused the deaths of a man and woman whose bodies were found Friday morning in a North Portland apartment.

Police said it was likely 42-year-old Stephanie Curtis was killed by 60-year-old Francis “Frank” Masure, of Vancouver, Wash., who turned a gun on himself.

Their bodies were found at about 9 a.m. Friday, Sept.10, after neighbors and co-workers called police to check on the the apartment in the 2400 block of North Killingsworth Street. When officers went inside, they found two bodies. They left the apartment and called for homicide detectives.

The apartment where they were found belonged to Curtis, who had a relationship with Masure. Detectives said Curtis recently reported domestic violence between she and Masure to both Vancouver and Portland police. They also believed that Curtis appeared to be ending her relationship with Masure.

Police believe that sometime on Monday or Tuesday, Masure came to Curtis’ apartment then shot Curtis and killed himself.

Animal Control was also called to the apartment to take custody of Curtis’ eight cats.