Columbus, OH: 2 deaths called murder, suicide

Neighbors say West Side couple had repeated domestic troubles

Sunday, May 22, 2011 03:20 AM
BY JOE VARDON

Steve Ohlinger sat inside his house on Harris Avenue on the West Side yesterday, recalling repeated domestic troubles that his neighbors, Brian and Cynthia Trudeau, had across the street.

"There was all kinds of drama over there," Ohlinger said.

The drama between husband and wife ended tragically in the wee hours yesterday morning, when Brian Trudeau, 48, shot and killed his wife, Cynthia, 42, while driving with her in her truck, Franklin County deputy sheriffs said. Mr. Trudeau then fatally shot himself in a Roosters Wings restaurant parking lot on the Far West Side after a deputy tried to pull him over for speeding.

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A deputy saw Mr. Trudeau traveling about 70 mph in a red and white Ford pickup truck, heading west on Broad Street near Phillipi Road, between 3:30 and 4a.m., said sheriff's Detective Sgt. Bill Duffer.

Duffer said that when the deputy tried to stop Trudeau after he ran a red light, Trudeau pulled the truck into the Roosters lot at Lincoln Village Plaza and shot himself in the head.

When the deputy reached the truck, he found Mrs. Trudeau in the passenger seat, dead of a single gunshot.

"It all happened inside the truck," Duffer said. "My theory is he shot her at some point and then he turned the gun on himself."

The Trudeaus lived in a house at 158 Harris Ave. Their neighbor Ohlinger said Mrs. Trudeau moved out months ago but had been seen back at the house over the past few days.

Ohlinger said he saw the couple leave the home together around 8 p.m. Friday.

"I've lived in this house for 10 years, and they've been at each other's throats," Ohlinger said. "It got so bad that if they were fighting, I'd bring my grandkids inside."

Records show that assault, domestic-violence and endangering-children charges against Mr. Trudeau, stemming from a 2009 incident, were dropped. Some of his relatives, who asked not to be named, told The Dispatch that the couple fought constantly and battled addiction.

"We're very saddened by the fact that he took Cindy's life," one said, "but we're also blessed that he didn't get in an accident and take someone else with them."

The crime scene, which included the truck, was cleared around 11:30 a.m.

Employees arriving at the Roosters and the Long John Silver's/A&W restaurant next door were shocked to find the parking lot roped off. A steady stream of morning shoppers also slowed at the yellow caution tape to gawk at the scene.

Mariah Dunetz had her baby in the car with her as she drove through the lot. Dunetz said she lives just a block away and stopped to see whether people in the neighborhood should be scared because someone was on the run.

When told of the circumstances, she was saddened but a bit relieved.

"Violence is violence, and that's terrible," she said. "But there's kids out here, you know, and we have to keep an eye on what's happening so that we can keep them safe."

Dispatch reporter Holly Zachariah contributed to this story.

jvardon@dispatch.com