By Nathan Brown
Times Herald-Record
Published: 2:00 AM - 12/20/11
MIDDLETOWN — A retired state police captain slashed his wife in the throat, then killed himself Saturday night.
Thomas Phelan's wife, Elizabeth, and 19-year-old daughter were visiting him at 26 Starhaven Ave. Saturday evening, where he had lived alone since he and Elizabeth separated, according to a source.
As they finished the visit and Elizabeth left the residence, Thomas slashed her throat with a serrated kitchen knife.
Elizabeth fled to a neighbor's residence, where her daughter already was, the source said, and Thomas returned to the residence.
Middletown city police responded, set up a perimeter around the house due to uncertainty about possible weapons inside, and tried to contact Thomas.
Receiving no response, the Orange County Sheriff's Department's Special Operations Group entered the house and found Thomas dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Elizabeth was transported to Orange Regional Medical Center, treated and released. The reason for the incident was initially unknown.
Phelan, 52, was a state trooper from 1982 to 2009. His last posting was at Troop K, which is based in Poughkeepsie.
Tracy Baxter contributed to this report.
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