Couple identified in homicide-suicide at Thurston County mobile home park

An elderly couple that died in an apparent homicide-suicide inside their home at the Loncar Mobile Home Park east of Lacey has been identified.

The bodies of Betty Jane Martin, 81, and Melvin W. Martin, 82, were discovered by a family member Sept. 18 in the mobile home’s bathroom.

Betty Martin died of a single gunshot wound to the head, according to the Thurston County Coroner’s Office, and her manner of death is homicide. Melvin Martin died of a shotgun wound to the head, and his death was determined to be a suicide, according to the coroner.

In the early stages of the investigation, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office mistakenly identified the wife as the shooter. However, the coroner’s office confirmed this week to The Olympian that Melvin Martin had used one gun to shoot his wife, then used a shotgun to kill himself.

This story was originally published September 23, 2015 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Couple identified in homicide-suicide at Thurston County mobile home park."