MD elderly couple dead in murder-suicide at retirement community
CATONSVILLE, Md. Sept 24 2018
An elderly couple is dead after a murder-suicide at the Charlestown Retirement Community in Catonsville, Baltimore County police said.
County police said officers were called at 1:52 p.m. Friday to the parking lot of the retirement community in the 700 block of Maiden Choice Lane for a reported shooting.
Officers found two adults dead. Investigators determined the adults were married, and the shooting was domestic.
“We did receive a call for a shooting. The information we were given was that someone had heard a gunshot, and then they heard a second gunshot. They were able to locate two deceased persons on the parking lot. When we arrived, we also found that same thing. Based on the evidence that we have and the information that we have and witness accounts, we are investigating it as a domestic-related murder-suicide,” Baltimore County police Officer Jennifer Peach said.
The deceased — Clifford Wilson Terry, 78, and his wife, Mary Kathleen Black Terry, 79 — were residents of the retirement community.
Police said Saturday that Clifford Wilson Terry wheeled his recently injured wife to their car in a wheelchair. Once at the car, he shot his wife once in the upper body, killing her, then turned the gun on himself, also shooting himself once in the upper body, police said.
Residents of the community are allowed to possess handguns under tight guidelines. Charlestown officials said this is the first murder-suicide by gunfire at the facility.
“It strikes me as unusual because these types of situations do not occur at the Charlestown Retirement Community. Our communities are run safely. The residents enjoy a fabulous lifestyle in this community,” said Dan Dunne, a spokesman for the community.
Additional investigation will be conducted on the firearm, identified only as a revolver, but police confirmed that the gun was not reported stolen, police said.
“We need to look into this couple and find out if there were any domestic issues going on between them. They are an elderly couple, so there is always potential to look for medical issues that may have come into play,” Peach said.
Authorities said there does not appear to be a danger to the community and it is not an active shooter situation.
The investigation is ongoing.
