Saturday, May 22, 2010

Van Nuys, CA: Couple found dead in West Hills home in possible murder-suicide

By C.J. Lin, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/21/2010 01:20:13 PM PDT
Updated: 05/21/2010 06:06:07 PM PDT

An elderly couple who had quietly lived in their West Hills neighborhood for about 40 years were found dead in their home in an apparent murder-suicide, police said Friday.

Police discovered the bodies of the man and woman, both 77, after being summoned by a 911 call to the the home in the 7200 block of Cirrus Way, said LAPD Detective Brian Pogue. There were no signs of a struggle, and each died of a gunshot wound to the head.

"It appears that there were no problems between them," he said.

The couple's names were not released, pending the notification of their relatives. Authorities also declined to say who made the 911 call.

Neighbors said the couple had lived in the neighborhood for about 40 years and were private yet friendly.

The woman could often be seen planting flowers or tending the rosebushes in the front yard. The man would take walks around the quiet neighborhood or go for drives in a blue sports car.

"They seemed to be totally in love," said a neighbor who declined to be identified because he works in law enforcement. "They never had any inclination for violence ever."

Kids sometimes played catch in the couple's front yard, neighbors said.

Roses and a sprig of wildflowers had been neatly arranged in the couple's driveway Friday morning.

"It was a shock in the neighborhood," said George McQuade, who lives nearby. "She was like the ideal neighbor. Some people have the neighbor from hell, but she was the total opposite.
"I would love to have 10 of these people living in the neighborhood."

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Pogue at 818-756-3362.

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