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Man kills wife, self in St. Louis County murder-suicide

Police said they heard gunshots from inside the home while making a welfare check. When officers entered the home five hours later, a man and woman were found dead.
Credit: Alex Schmidt, Getty Images/iStockphoto
Police lights by night

ST. LOUIS COUNTY – A woman was killed by her husband before he turned the gun on himself in a murder-suicide in a home near Creve Coeur Sunday morning.

In a press release, St. Louis County police said they were called to a house on the 1400 block of Orchard Lakes twice Saturday night to check on the people at the home. They were unable to find anyone to talk to at the first visit at around 11 p.m., but 15 minutes later, they were called again.

During the second visit, police saw a man walking near the back of the house and tried to get his attention. While trying to get his attention, police heard a gunshot from inside the home and backed away.

They set up a secure area around the house and called the department's tactical operations unit. At about 4 a.m., the tactical operations unit entered the home, where they found the man and woman dead.

Neighbors say the man and woman who lived here were married and kept to themselves. They told 5 On Your Side off camera this is the last thing they expected, though they say the man's wife had just left him. They wonder if that's what motivated this tragedy. Regardless, they say - their hearts go out to the family.

"Absolutely, it's sad," said Keith Morton, who lives in the area. "Certainly don't know this incident and what led up to it, but certainly for that to be the outcome is a very sad thing to have happened."

Police said the man, 52-year-old Michael Moore shot and killed 44-year-old Michelle Moore. When police arrived, he turned the gun on himself.

For more information and resources to prevent domestic violence, click here.

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