A man in Illinois reportedly shot and killed his partner and himself after suspecting that they both contracted the coronavirus.
Patrick Jesernik, 54 and Cheryl Schriefer, 59, were both tested for the virus two days prior to their deaths but never saw the results. After they died, their tests came back negative.
A press release from the Will County Sheriff’s Office detailed the scene officers arrived at the house:
All of the doors and windows of the residence were locked from the inside. Police and fire personnel forced entry into the residence. Deputies located Patrick Jesernik, age 54, and Cheryl Schriefer, age 59, in separate rooms of the residence, both deceased. Both individuals had a pooling of blood formed around their heads. A loaded revolver, containing two spent shell casings and three live rounds were located near Patrick’s body. There were no signs of a struggle, and the home was neat and orderly
An autopsy confirmed that Schriefer's death was a homicide and Jesernik's was a suicide.
The Sheriff's Office concluded the press release by mentioning that there has been a rise in domestic disputes during the COVID-19 pandemic: "During the current COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of service calls that Deputies have been responding to, involve domestic disputes and crisis intervention calls... you can reach out to Guardian Angel Community Service Groundwork 24 hour domestic violence hotline at 815-729-1228."
[Via]