Husband, wife in Sunday’s murder-suicide identified

WASHINGTON – The identities of a husband and wife dead from an apparent murder-suicide have been released.

Police say Donovan Dean Richards, 49, and Mischeel Louise Richards, 39, were found dead in their home on the 13600 block of Colgate Way in Montgomery County on May 20.

Capt. Paul Starks with the Montgomery County Police Department says a family member called police Saturday night worried about a relative.

Police knocked on the door of the home in the Briggs Chaney area and no one answered. Starks says there were no suspicious signs, so police left.

Another call was placed to police Sunday morning about the same family member and that’s when the couple was found dead in the basement apartment.

Starks says a suicide note was left at the scene but won’t say if it was left by the husband or wife. He also won’t say whether there was a weapon found at the scene.

Both victims were found with evidence of trauma to their bodies.

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