Two Die in Apparent Murder-Suicide

A 35-year-old man apparently shot his wife to death and then killed himself Thursday night while the couple were visiting friends at a Buena Park apartment, police said.

Police hostage teams were stationed outside the building for more than three hours before storming the apartment shortly before midnight. Inside they found the two adults dead and three children, ranging in age from 8 months to 3 years, unharmed.

Buena Park Police Officer Rich McMillen said the man, who had a prior criminal record, and his 25-year-old wife went to their friends’ home shortly before 7:20 p.m. Accompanying them was an infant child.

Neighbors told police that they heard an argument and that then three shots were fired. The couple who live in the apartment, in the 7700 block of Fillmore Drive just a few blocks south of Knott’s Berry Farm, fled, leaving their two children behind, police said.

Police set up a command post in the neighborhood and tried to make contact with the people inside. When there was no response after three hours of effort, officers gradually crept up to the apartment.

The man was found dead on a dark porch shortly before 11:30 p.m. He had been shot once in the head.

The wife was found lying dead on a couch inside the apartment, McMillen said.

Police did not identify the dead couple, but McMillen said the man had a prior arrest record and had been known to use drugs. But he said it was unclear if the man had been using drugs Thursday night.

The couple who fled were taken into custody for questioning.