DISCOVERY BAY — A La Center couple who had been married more than 50 years died Wednesday in an apparent murder-suicide southwest of Port Townsend.
The couple was identified as Leron Carroll, 74, and Evelyn Carroll, 70, of La Center.
Jefferson County Sheriff Tony Hernandez said the incident was reported to 911 about 10:30 p.m.
“A distraught female said she murdered her husband and was going to shoot herself,” Hernandez said.
Deputies were there in eight minutes and, after receiving no response to their knock and calls, kicked in the door of a timeshare condominium at 194 Orcas Drive, off U.S. Highway 101.
They found the husband, Leron Carroll, 74, lying on a bed with a gunshot wound to his torso, his wife on the floor with a similar wound, and a .38-caliber gun.
There were no signs of a struggle.
Both were still alive and talking, Hernandez said, but he declined to provide more detail.
Relatives have been notified and deputies have learned that Leron Carroll had been ailing recently, Hernandez said.
Since inclement weather prohibited helicopter flights near the scene in Jefferson County, the husband and wife were put into separate aid cars from East Jefferson and Discovery Bay fire departments and were heading toward the Hood Canal Bridge on the way to a hospital. They died before reaching the bridge, said East Jefferson Fire Chief Gordon Pomeroy.
The couple had been staying since Dec. 13 in Unit 15 of the WorldMark Discovery Bay, a timeshare condominium resort.
Hernandez said neighbors were questioned and no one had heard any disturbance from the unit, nor were they familiar with the couple. There were no signs of alcohol or illegal drugs, he said.
Deputies continued processing evidence at the condo Thursday.
