Roanoke County Police say a man and woman are dead after an apparent murder-suicide in the southwest county. Police were called last night to the 5900 block of Sunnycrest Road, which is just off Bent Mountain Road near the s-curves now under reconstruction. Police say it appears the man shot the woman and then turned the gun on himself. Investigators are not yet releasing names.
(Continue reading for the full police news release.)
Here is the full Roanoke County Police news release:
Roanoke County Police Investigating Murder/Suicide
Roanoke County police were called to the 5900 block of Sunnycrest Rd. following a report of shots fired Wednesday evening. The call was received by dispatch at 8:42 p.m.
The incident was later determined to be a murder/suicide. It appears that the male subject shot the female and then turned a weapon on himself. The man and woman were married but were estranged at the time of the incident. She was living at the residence while he resided elsewhere. Both were deceased when police entered the home. Detectives are uncertain about a motive.
This isn’t the first time Roanoke County police have been to the residence. In 2012, Roanoke County police were called to the residence for domestic related issues on at least two other occasions.
No names are being released at this time pending notification of next of kin. Police have notified the female’s family but have been unable to reach next of kin for the male subject.
Roanoke County’s SWAT team was dispatched to the residence Wednesday evening because the call received by dispatch indicated that multiple shots had been fired indicating that a third person may have been involved in the incident. Police are confident that the incident was a murder/suicide and that nobody else was involved.
