BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating the events that led up to a suspected murder-suicide.
A BCSO spokesperson told KSAT that a man and woman were both found dead of gunshot wounds Friday night in southwest Bexar County.
According to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a home in the 15000 block of Escalante Pass, which is located near State Highway 16 and Watson Road. The sheriff said he believes the man and woman were a married couple who lived by themselves at the home.
Upon arrival, Salazar said a woman, who is believed to be an adult child of one of the spouses, told deputies she went to the home to check on them because “she had not heard” from the couple for “at least a day.”
When the adult child went inside the home, investigators said she found their bodies. The 55-year-old woman had at least one gunshot wound to her upper body and appeared to be the victim of a homicide while the 58-year-old man died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Salazar. A handgun was recovered at the scene.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office will officially determine their cause and manner of death as well as identifying them.
In a 1-on-1 interview Saturday morning, Salazar told KSAT that one bullet left the residence and entered another nearby home. The sheriff said no additional injuries were reported as a result of that bullet.
Domestic violence homicide trends
“We believe that there is a domestic violence history between the two, unfortunately,” the sheriff said Saturday.
According to Salazar, there was a case of misdemeanor family violence involving the couple, but the case was later “dismissed” due to a “missing witness.” It is unclear who was charged with the misdemeanor.
The sheriff believes Friday night’s incident — BCSO’s fifth domestic violence-related homicide investigation out of 10 homicides so far this year — is the continuation of a disturbing trend in Bexar County.
Last year, BCSO said nine of the 15 homicides the sheriff’s office investigated were related to domestic violence.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to remind the community that domestic violence is what I believe to be — and what we believe to be at the sheriff’s office here — an escalating crime," Salazar said. “It doesn’t go away.”
The sheriff said anyone in need of domestic violence services can call (210)-335-6000.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is so much help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.
If it’s an emergency, text or call 911. For wrap-around services, including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 733-8810.
You can also contact the Bexar County Family Justice Center, which also provides wrap-around services at (210) 631-0100.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, call 988 or text TALK to 741-741.
You can also reach out to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) or the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) at 210-223-7233 (SAFE) or 800-316-9241. You can also text NAMI to 741-741.
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