A caregiver shot her husband and then took her own life in a San Carlos murder-suicide shooting, San Diego homicide detectives said.
James Smith, 68, and his wife, Candace Smith, 69, were found dead inside their home on the 6600 block of Bell Bluff Avenue at approximately 10:25 a.m. Wednesday, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said.
A relative concerned about the well-being of the couple asked police to conduct a welfare check on their loves ones. Police said there have been no previous calls to this residence.
When police entered the home, they learned James and Candace had both suffered gunshot wounds.
James suffered a traumatic brain injury 26 years ago after a car crash and required full-time care since the accident. Candace became her husband's care provider.
Homicide Lt. Mike Holden said the preliminary investigation revealed that James' condition had worsened recently. Detectives believe Candace shot her husband and then took her own life.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner's office will conduct an investigation and determine a cause of death.
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All day Wednesday, detectives could be seen going in and out of the couple's home as they took photographs and collected evidence.
The blinds of the home where the bodies were found were drawn shut; some cardboard boxes lined the path leading to the front door of the home. Evidence markers were placed near those boxes. A night stand was also set aside, outside the home, near the boxes.
The investigation into the possible murder-suicide is ongoing. Anyone with information on this case can call the SDPD Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
