Killer Found Bloody And Unconscious In Car

"AUSTIN, TX — An Austin man tried to kill himself after police say he killed his girlfriend.

"Cassandra Clark's body was discovered Sunday at the Lantana Ridge Apartments on William Cannon Drive near Southwest Parkway in Southwest Austin.

"Police say 37-year-old Ryan Kyle Clarke tried to kill himself at a Williamson County park Saturday night. They are not related.

"A Williamson County Sheriff Deputy saw an unconscious Clarke in his car covered in blood with a knife in his right hand and his left wrist cut.

"Clarke was taken to Seton Medical Center. There, he admitted to a social worker that he hurt someone. That social worker called 911 and that's how police found Cassandra Clark's body in the bedroom.

"Police say there were obvious signs on trauma all over the victim's body which was in the bedroom. Police also described the scene as a `violent bloodletting event.`

"Police say the two were dating and moved to Austin from Wisconsin.

"It was also not the first time for police to be at that apartment. In April of 2011, an officer responded after the two were fighting and Clarke apparently threw something at Cassandra's head.

"That officer said the apartment was in shambles. He saw a couch was overturned and a table knocked over."

From KTBC...

Killer Called Family To Say Goodbye Before Murder/Suicide

"TURKEY, NC — A Sampson County father who saved his 8-year-old daughter from their burning house in 2002 is suspected of killing her Sunday and then committing suicide, according to family members.

"Sampson County deputies found Carlos Vasquez, 39, dead inside his house at at 3660 New Hope Church Road in Turkey on Sunday night, along with Itzel Vasquez, now 18, of 1342 Seabrook School Road in Fayetteville.

"The sheriff's office said the two were related, but declined to provide specifics about their relationship or how they died.

"Family members said Carlos Vasquez shot his daughter and then turned the gun on himself.

"`It hurts. Two people in my family died,` relative Jonathan Vasquez said.

"Carlos Vasquez had recently separated from his second wife, who went to Texas with their two children and was scheduled to return Sunday, relatives said. For some reason, she changed her mind.

"`She was coming, and she stopped in Atlanta,` Jonathan Vasquez said. `From there, she said she was thinking about it and said she was going back (to Texas).`

"The separation was too much for Carlos Vasquez to handle, relatives said, noting that there were wrapped presents for his wife and children still under the Christmas tree in his home. He called family members Sunday to tell them goodbye.

"`That's why all my uncles and aunts came, but when they got here, he was already dead,` Jonathan Vasquez said. `It ain't the first time that he said (he planned to kill himself). He said it a lot of times already.`"

From WRAL...

Couple May Have Been Dead Since Christmas

"MAYWOOD, MO — Marion County Sheriff Jimmy Shinn said the deaths of a man and his wife southwest of Maywood are being investigated as a murder-suicide.

"David E. Lavingon, 67, and Kathy Jo Lavingon, 59, were found by friends Sunday at their home at 560 Highway A. The couple were found in the master bedroom of the residence with gunshot wounds to their chests. A handgun was found at the scene.

"Shinn said a pathology report from Boone County indicates that David Lavingon `was the shooter.`

"`We have no motive at this time. We're digging into paperwork because it didn't make sense. There's no illnesses that we know of ... or other signs of problems,` Shinn said.

"Shinn said investigators learned from a Lavingon family member and family friends that the last communications from the Lavingons were the night of Dec. 25.

"Neighbors who live only a short distance away said Monday morning that they didn't know deputies had been called to the Lavingon home and had conducted an investigation.

"David Lavingon operated Golden Pond Appraisal Services. A sign at the edge of the Lavingon property identified it as Golden Pond. Shinn said David Lavingon also had been a banker at one time.

"David Lavingon's funeral arrangements are being handled by Zehender Robinson Stormer Cookson Funeral Home in Quincy. Kathy Lavingon's arrangements are being handled by a funeral home in Macomb, Ill."

From whig.com...

911 Caller Found Bodies At Scene Of Murder/Suicide

"CHAMPAIGN, IL — Two people are dead in what police believe was a murder-suicide in Champaign early Monday morning.

"Champaign police responded to a 911 call about a shooting in the 1500 block of Honeysuckle Lane at 6:22 a.m. When they arrived, officers found a man and a woman with gunshot wounds. Both were later pronounced dead; one was pronounced dead at the scene and the other at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.

"No names are being released at this time. Police indicated the incident is believed to be a murder-suicide. Champaign Sgt. Robert Rea said police are not looking for any suspects and do not believe there is any danger to the community.

"Three children—ages 12, 10 and 3 months—were taken from the house and placed in the custody of family members. Counseling services were called to the scene.

"Police said the 911 call originated from the residence. The caller reported hearing an argument and then finding one victim. Shortly thereafter, the caller reported hearing another gunshot and finding a second subject with an apparent gunshot wound."

From The News-Gazette...

Bundles Of Marijuana Found With Bodies

"ALTON, TX — Alton police responded to a murder-suicide Sunday involving a male and female, both in their early 20s, at a residence near Alton Boulevard and Mile 4 Line.

"Police Chief Enrique Sotelo said the deaths were believed to have occurred about 7 a.m. After several calls from family members went unanswered throughout the day, a relative visited the house and saw the two bodies through a window.

"The female victim had two gunshot wounds and the male had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Sotelo said. In the course of investigating the two deaths, police also found about 200 pounds of marijuana in the house, packed into 11 large bundles.

"Sotelo said police have not established a motive for the shooting or any connection between the drugs and the deaths.

"`It could have been one of those deals where they had been out at a gathering and maybe things escalated once they got home,` he said. `It’s a little early to tell still.`"

From The Monitor...