PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com.
Notes were found in a Pierce County home where four people were found dead on New Year’s Eve, according to a search warrant reported by The Tacoma News Tribune.
A sweep by Pierce County Sheriff’s Department deputies revealed two notes on a refrigerator stating “Time of Death July 24th 5:45 AM” and “Time of death July 24th 3:00 PM.” Another note was found on another refrigerator listing dates of death from earlier in 2024.
An envelope with a message on paper was also discovered. Notes were also found near the front door and under the garage door. The contents of these messages were not revealed.
“We are investigating this as a murder-suicide,” Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank told KIRO Newsradio. “When we put out some information about it to begin with, we said there’s no worry for the community. So it’s not somebody running rampant around the community, killing people.”
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A request for a welfare check was prompted by a social media post where a female said she was considering suicide with her boyfriend. The domestic violence unit requested a search warrant.
The four people who were found dead in the South Hill home were discovered by law enforcement officials during two different searches around New Year’s. Police said it is still not clear what happened in the house, located on Eastwood Avenue East, but that a homicide investigation is taking place.
“Oftentimes we do these investigations,” Swank said. “You have to do all kinds of forensics and ballistics and all kinds of things like that to be able to show who did what.”
Deputies found a .45-caliber handgun in the home along with a fired shell casing. Police discovered a bullet hole in a door. A cell phone was also found.
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The bodies were found in two separate searches by deputies.
The house is owned by a couple and police do not believe that anyone outside the home was responsible for the deaths. The identity of the victims has not been revealed.
A blue 1992 Corvette parked outside the home is also being searched. Police said the car was filled with items.
Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.
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