COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Three adult victims were found dead in an apartment complex early Thursday morning in what police are investigating as a double murder-suicide.
Authorities responded to the scene on the 3000 block of Esquire Drive near Gender and Refugee Road at 12:20 a.m. on Thursday.
Police say they received multiple calls that stated a male shot a female and then shot himself. Officers arrived on the scene and located three adult victims suffering gunshot wounds: two males and one female. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
The victims have been identified as Aiden David, 19, Giannh Viars, 21. Police say Michael Hughes, 23, shot and killed both David and Viars before taking his own life.
According to relatives, Viars and Hughes were married but had separated, police say. Meanwhile, Viars and David had begun dating.
According to police, Viars and David were inside Viars’ apartment when Hughes arrived and fired a shot into the apartment, forced entry and murdered David in the apartment. Viars attempted to flee, but was shot by Hughes.
Viars collapsed just outside the front door.
Witnesses to the incident stated Hughes then came out of the apartment and shot Viars again, killing her, before shooting himself.
A neighbor spoke to ABC 6 early Thursday morning, describing what she heard.
“Two horrible, gut-wrenching screams in between the noise in between the noise, but I couldn’t distinct if it was a gun. That was the crazy part,” the neighbor, who did not wish to be identified, said. “It almost sounded like windows were shattered, then gun, you know? it was just weird. Not even like someone threw a rock in it. It was just weird the noise. But I knew something traumatic had happened because of her scream”
Anyone with information regarding this incident, is asked to contact Detective Westfall at (614) 645-4221 or [email protected] or to call Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477). Detective Westfall is the lead detective on the case and is being assisted by Detective Polgar.
