Mercer Island police are investigating a possible homicide-suicide that occurred at a residence in the 8400 block of Southeast 46th Street.
As Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) officers peered through a few windows and knocked on the door while conducting a welfare check at approximately 10:45 a.m. Dec. 30, they noticed a person who appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound, according to a press release and commander/public information officer Jeff Magnan.
After forcing entry into the home, they discovered two deceased individuals — a female in her late 70s and a male in his late 40s — along with firearms near the bodies of the mother and son.
“Based on preliminary information, the incident appears to be a homicide followed by a suicide,” according to the department. “The request originated from an attorney representing the homeowner, who reported receiving a concerning email that raised fears for the occupants’ safety.”
Magnan said the attorney notified MIPD of the situation that morning and officers responded immediately.
Regarding a potential timeline of the deaths, Magnan said: “The thought process is that this was fairly fresh, but obviously, we have to wait for the King County Medical Examiner’s Office to give us the time and manner of death. They’ll give us the full information after they do autopsies.” Identifications won’t be revealed until the medical examiner’s office completes its work.
After investigators informed MIPD of their concern for a previous resident of the Island home, the department contacted the Issaquah Police Department (IPD) and requested their officers conduct a welfare check at a residence in their city. IPD received a call at about 11:37 a.m. Dec. 30, officers were dispatched to an Issaquah home in the 400 block of Southeast Evans Lane and they forced entry and located two deceased individuals — a female in her mid-40s and a male in his mid-30s — according to an IPD social media post and Magnan.
“At this point in the investigation, details lead us to believe there are no outstanding suspects and no ongoing threat to the community. These are the only details able to be released at this time,” the IPD release noted.
Both police departments are investigating the incidents in their respective cities, Magnan said.
MIPD, which said there is no indication of an ongoing threat to the Island, noted that detectives and Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Response Team members are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident by neighborhood canvassing and coordinating with the King County Medical Examiner’s Office. The medical examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death.
Magnan said MIPD is talking to neighbors who may have heard or seen something, and the department is reviewing camera footage that covers the house’s entry.
“We have to get a warrant for that. It’s just too early to tell or to try to give a motive at this point,” said Magnan, adding that MIPD impounded a vehicle parked in front of the house and will be serving a search warrant on it. Next up is ballistics and toxicology work that needs to be done, which can take a long time before they receive results, Magnan added.
The neighborhood in which the incident transpired is a tight-knit community, said Magnan, who noted that everyone knew the family and cared for them. One neighbor volunteered to look after their dogs after the incident.
“There’s a community that’s mourning this, and we wanted to do two things: let them know what occurred, the facts that we could release at this point, but we also wanted to give them some ability to say that this isn’t an ongoing issue. We’re not looking for outstanding suspects at this time. It appears to be contained to that residence and that residence alone,” Magnan said.
A neighbor who wished to remain anonymous said the 10-home street has a familial atmosphere where everyone knows each other well. It’s been a tough situation since the news broke.
The neighbor didn’t see or hear anything, adding: “We would appreciate privacy and respect for these people because it was just a horrible, tragic event that was unpredicted, and I feel like they didn’t deserve this.”
The Reporter will add more information to this story when it is released by the MIPD.
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