Monday, January 16, 2012

Metairie, LA: Sheriff: Louisiana woman shoots husband and herself in apparent murder-suicide

METAIRIE, La. — Louisiana authorities are investigating the deaths of a married couple in which the woman apparently shot her husband early Monday, then called 911 to report the slaying before shooting herself in the head.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said in a news release that the emergency call came from the city of Metairie on Monday about 5:05 a.m.

Normand says the woman identified herself as 61-year-old Penelope D. Springer and said she shot her husband. The woman then hung up the phone.

Normand said the front door of the home was unlocked. The body of 61-year-old Albert E. Springer was in the front bathroom. He'd been shot in the head.

Normand says the woman was found in the rear bathroom with a single gunshot wound to the head. A 9mm pistol was on her body.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said in a news release that the emergency call came from the city of Metairie on Monday about 5:05 a.m.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff spokesman Col. John Fortunato told WWL-TV (http://bit.ly/xBLU7b ) that the case is being investigated as a murder suicide.

"It appears as though this has all of the earmarks of a murder-suicide, where she shot her husband first and then turned the gun on herself," said Fortunato.

News of the shootings was disturbing to residents in the neighborhood near Interstate 10 and Cleary Avenue.

"I'm shocked, two beautiful people. They loved each other, always went places together. Don't sound right, something's wrong," said Tony Graffia, a neighbor.

Officials said they found a note at the scene but they wouldn't say what it said or if it provided a motive for the shootings. Several neighbors said there was never any indication of problems between the two.

Neighbors say Albert Springer was a retired longshoreman and Penelope Springer worked in real estate. They said the couple recently celebrated the birth of a granddaughter.

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