MAHANOY CITY - A husband and wife are dead after a murder-suicide at a Schuylkill County home early Christmas morning.
Yellow crime scene tape surrounded the home at 3 N. 10th St. in Mahanoy City as daylight broke Christmas morning, showing a dark contrast to other homes in the area decked out in red, green and white lights.
Inside at 2:17 a.m., Richard C. Weikel, 37, and Stephanie L. Weikel, 28, had been pronounced dead in the apartment they shared by Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner David Truskowsky.
They were discovered after officers were called to the house about 1:20 a.m. for a report of a suicidal person, Lt. John Kaczmarczyk said.
That call, Police Chief Mark Wiekrykas said, came through the Schuylkill County Communications Center from Mr. Weikel's ex-wife, who resides in another community.
Chief Wiekrykas said Mr. Weikel called his ex-wife and admitted to the murder.
"He told her he just killed his current wife and said he would (not) be able to spend the rest of his life in jail," Chief Wiekrykas said.
The ex-wife called 911 and dispatchers alerted borough police about the possible suicidal man.
Lt. Kaczmarczyk, the investigating officer, said he and Patrolman Charles Kovalewski arrived within minutes and found the couple dead.
Mahanoy City EMS was called to the scene but technicians soon learned their services were not needed.
The couple was found inside the kitchen area of the apartment, Chief Wiekrykas said, adding that three weapons, a handgun and two rifles, were recovered.
The investigation determined the man shot the woman and then turned the gun on himself, Lt. Kaczmarczyk said.
Detectives from the Schuylkill County district attorney's office were called in to assist. Their investigation determined the death of the woman was a homicide, after which the man turned the weapon on himself.
Both Chief Wiekrykas and Lt. Kaczmarczyk said they are still trying to determine what led to the shootings. The investigation is continuing.