Elderly murder-suicide Arizona care home
A tragic incident struck an Arizona senior care facility early Thursday morning when a 92-year-old man reportedly shot his 93-year-old wife before turning the weapon on himself. The Mesa Police Department responded around 4:30 a.m. after staff alerted them that two residents had been found shot and unresponsive.
Upon arrival, officers entered a bedroom where they discovered Jerome Woolums, 92, and his wife Katharine Woolums, 93, both suffering from gunshot wounds to the head. Jerome was found still holding the firearm and was declared dead on the scene with an apparent self-inflicted wound. Katharine, though critically injured, was alive when discovered and rushed to a local hospital but later died from her injuries.
Investigators are treating the case as a murder-suicide. Evidence so far indicates Jerome shot his wife before turning the gun on himself. No motive has yet been confirmed. The couple had been residents of the assisted living facility to receive ongoing medical care and had been married for many years.
Authorities say the facility is located near Alma School Road and Guadalupe in Mesa, though the exact building name has not been released. The investigation remains open as detectives await forensic reports and motive analysis.
This heartbreaking event has raised difficult questions about mental health, elder care, isolation and the pressures faced by aging couples in care settings. It underscores how vulnerable older adults may be, especially when physical decline, cognitive strain or emotional distress become intertwined. As the investigation moves forward, residents, families and care providers alike are left grappling with shock, grief and the urgent need for preventive strategies in elder care facilities.
