Coroner IDs woman and man killed in murder-suicide in Dover Township home
A 31-year-old man and 29-year-old woman are dead in an apparent murder-suicide in Dover Township following a long standoff with police, according to the York County Coroner's Office and Northern York County Regional Police.
The victim has been identified as Megan Saunders of the 4100 block of Strawbridge Court. She died of multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner is homicide, according to the coroner's office.
Devon Elias of the 1300 block of Eli Place in Prince George's County, Md. died of a gunshot wound to the head. The manner of death is suicide, the coroner's office said.
The two reportedly shared a child together, according to the coroner's office.
Elias entered the home and shot Saunders, the release states. He remained in the home for several hours before he shot himself around 2:40 p.m.
Saunders had a protection from abuse order against Elias in Baltimore County, Md., police said in a news release. The two had a hearing in Maryland the day the murder-suicide happened.
Police found two handguns in the home. One was a .380 caliber pistol − a gun that was reportedly stolen in 1984 in Renton, Washington − that was used to kill Saunders. The other was a .22 caliber pistol used by Elias to take his own life, the release states.
When an officer arrived on the scene, Elias told police that he had a hostage and not to enter the home, the release states. Police set up a perimeter and tried to make contact with the occupants without success. The York County Quick Response Team responded to the scene.
Chief David Lash said police entered the home when they heard a gunshot inside 4101 Strawbridge Court at about 2:25 p.m. after an hours-long standoff.
They found an adult female dead on the landing between the second and third floors and the adult male suspect suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot on the third floor of the townhouse. Officers felt a faint pulse but the man had died before EMS arrived.
Lash said negotiators with the York County Quick Response Team were in contact with the man by cell phone for four to five hours. He said the suspect made threats to the woman and himself during those communications.
Lash described it as a "hostage situation."
He said it had not yet been determined when the female died.
Lash said police were called to the scene at about 8:30 a.m. when neighbors reported 5-6 shots, inside and outside the house.
This was the second murder-suicide in York County in two days. A Codorus Township couple were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide Tuesday evening. There have been five murder-suicides in York County so far this year.
Reported earlier
Police have entered a house in Dover Township where they had been on alert since this morning.
Officers, some with shields, were seen entering the front door of 4101 Strawbridge Court.
At least two loud bangs could be heard as police started entering. The smoke detector alarms could be heard after police entered the front door.
Officers later left the home, some wearing gas masks, and were taking off tactical gear.
Yellow police tape is now up around the house.
Dover schools had earlier lifted a "keep out" condition prompted by the incident.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Man killed woman and himself in Dover Twp. Pa. home: police
