Post by Jessie on Jun 21, 2007 5:26:41 GMT -5
Such a horribly sad story. April attended the high school where my brother-in-law teaches.
Authorities release details of murder-suicide
Midday update
Derek Wallbank and Christine Rook
Lansing State Journal
ESSEX TWP. - April Bengel, 24, was killed by multiple shotgun blasts to her torso, the Clinton County medical examiner said today.
The results of the preliminary autopsy were released this afternoon as police continued the investigation of an apparent murder-suicide in Essex Twp., just outside St. Johns.
Clinton County Sheriff’s deputies found the body of April Bengel’s mother, Glee Bengel, 62, in the backyard with a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday night at her home in Essex Twp., just outside St. Johns. A shotgun was found lying nearby.
Inside, they found Glee Bengel’s daughter, 24-year-old April Bengel, dead of a gunshot wound.
A note was left at the scene. Police would not release the note, but Clinton Sheriff Sgt. Robert Sipple said Glee Bengel wrote that she had cancer and it was coming back.
“The note said she was sick with cancer, didn’t feel that she could go through it again, and she didn’t think anyone would take care of her daughter," he said.
The mother died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but the Clinton County medical examiner's office, which conducted the autopsy at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing and at an undisclosed location, did not elaborate.
The deaths of the women stunned officials at the school the younger woman attended.
“Our prayers obviously are with the family,” said Lee Kleinjans, designated spokesman for the Clinton County Regional Educational Service Agency, through which April took classes. "It was definitely a shock.”
April Bengel had Down syndrome and was in her last year of school before she aged out, Sipple added.
The bodies were found by a relative who had come by to check some animal traps. Police said the two women "likely died the day before."
On the local news they are saying that she also prepared a note to the funeral director that she wanted no obituaries and no services.
I didn't know them personally, but Glee and I had a mutual friend/co-worker and she had told me on several occasions how wonderful April had done in the high school program she was in and how proud Glee was of her. I'm so shocked this is what she ended up doing. Very sad that she felt there was no other alternative.
Jessie
Authorities release details of murder-suicide
Midday update
Derek Wallbank and Christine Rook
Lansing State Journal
ESSEX TWP. - April Bengel, 24, was killed by multiple shotgun blasts to her torso, the Clinton County medical examiner said today.
The results of the preliminary autopsy were released this afternoon as police continued the investigation of an apparent murder-suicide in Essex Twp., just outside St. Johns.
Clinton County Sheriff’s deputies found the body of April Bengel’s mother, Glee Bengel, 62, in the backyard with a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday night at her home in Essex Twp., just outside St. Johns. A shotgun was found lying nearby.
Inside, they found Glee Bengel’s daughter, 24-year-old April Bengel, dead of a gunshot wound.
A note was left at the scene. Police would not release the note, but Clinton Sheriff Sgt. Robert Sipple said Glee Bengel wrote that she had cancer and it was coming back.
“The note said she was sick with cancer, didn’t feel that she could go through it again, and she didn’t think anyone would take care of her daughter," he said.
The mother died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but the Clinton County medical examiner's office, which conducted the autopsy at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing and at an undisclosed location, did not elaborate.
The deaths of the women stunned officials at the school the younger woman attended.
“Our prayers obviously are with the family,” said Lee Kleinjans, designated spokesman for the Clinton County Regional Educational Service Agency, through which April took classes. "It was definitely a shock.”
April Bengel had Down syndrome and was in her last year of school before she aged out, Sipple added.
The bodies were found by a relative who had come by to check some animal traps. Police said the two women "likely died the day before."
On the local news they are saying that she also prepared a note to the funeral director that she wanted no obituaries and no services.
I didn't know them personally, but Glee and I had a mutual friend/co-worker and she had told me on several occasions how wonderful April had done in the high school program she was in and how proud Glee was of her. I'm so shocked this is what she ended up doing. Very sad that she felt there was no other alternative.
Jessie