An early morning tragedy unfolded at a Mesa group home on Thursday, where an elderly couple fell victim to an apparent murder-suicide. Mesa Police responded to the scene near Alma School and Guadalupe Roads after staff at the facility reported a shooting involving two residents. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, officers arrived shortly after 4 a.m. to discover 92-year-old Jerome Woolums and his 93-year-old wife, Katharine, with gunshot wounds to the head.
Jerome was pronounced dead at the scene and was found still holding the gun. Despite efforts to quickly save her life, Katharine was transported to the hospital with a pulse, where she later succumbed to her injuries. "Mesa Fire and Medical personnel attempted life-saving efforts before transporting her to a hospital, where she later died," police said, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. The couple, said to have been married for many years, were residents of the senior group home to receive medical care.
As the investigation continues, authorities are seeking to understand the motive behind the fatal incident. Detectives have not yet determined why Jerome shot his wife before turning the firearm on himself. The circumstances leading up to this act remain part of an ongoing investigation, as detailed in a report by AZ Family.
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