PONTIAC (WWJ) A Pontiac couple died in an apparent-murder suicide, leaving five children behind, sheriff's officials said.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said Latrece Shanna Harper, 33, was found dead on Thursday, October 30 around 7:30 p.m., at her home on Marshall Street, in the area of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Auburn.
Her stepdaughter, who went to check on her, discovered Harper sitting on her couch, with a single gunshot wound to her head ; sheriff's officials said.
15 minutes later; Bloomfield Township Police were called to Square Lake Road near Telegraph. Officers found Harper's boyfriend; Clifford Noel, 41; "slumped over behind the wheel of a car." He had a "self-inflicted" gunshot from an AR-15 style rifle, according to authorities.
He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Authorities said Harper and Noel had been in a relationship for about a decade. Investigators believe the apparent murder-suicide followed an argument between them.
"It breaks my heart when relationships turn violent," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "If you're in an abusive one, get help. There are people and groups ready to guide you to safety."
Five children, who range from 4 to 15-years-old, lived with the couple. They were found safe in a Rochester Hills motel. Child Protective Services is looking for a place for the children.