Murder Suicide Theory Reconsidered In Death Of Missouri Mom And Kids
Dad was reading when wife and two young children were shot dead.
Aug. 2, 2012— -- The shooting deaths of a Missouri mother and her two children seemed to have all the markings of a murder-suicide.
There were no signs of forced entry. Nothing was missing from the home.
But police in the town of Glendale, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, have since moved away from that theory and said it's too early to draw any conclusions about who killed Catherine Murch, 42, and her children Mitchell III, 10, and Mary Claire, 8.
Mitchell Murch II said he was reading in the family home when he heard gunshots Monday morning and to find his family dead. But he is not considered a suspect at this time, police said.
"We have nothing new so far," said Lt. Tim Fagan of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis.
Fagan said there is no suicide note.
Murch told police he found the body of Mary Claire on the second floor of the home, while his wife and son were on the first level.
When police arrived, Murch was trying to resuscitate his son, Fagan said.
Catherine Murch was pronounced dead at the scene, while the Mitchell III and Mary Claire died at the hopspital.
Fagan, who is overseeing a team of 20 investigators, said Murch has been cooperative.
The family attended the Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Webster Groves, Mo., where their children were also enrolled in Catholic school.
A private funeral will be held on Saturday.