A couple involved in a murder-suicide on the outskirts of Murillo Sunday had a history of domestic violence, police confirmed Monday afternoon.
At about 1 p.m. Sunday the Thunder Bay Police Service Emergency Task Unit discovered the bodies of 69-year-old Joseph Lavoie and his wife, 69-year-old Antoinette Lavoie, in the couple’s home on Oliver Road.
The results of the post-mortem examinations revealed that Antoinette Lavoie was killed by a single gunshot wound and Joseph Lavoie died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, city police spokesman Chris Adams said.
“The preliminary findings were very clear that this was indeed a murder-suicide,” he said, calling the incident “tragic.”
Police did not specify where the single-gunshot wound on Antoinette’s body was located.
In October police charged Joseph Lavoie with assault causing bodily harm in an incident that occurred in August. At that time officers seized five firearms registered to Joseph Lavoie.
The gun used in Sunday’s incident was unregistered and its origin is under investigation.
Police received a 911 call Sunday just before 10 a.m. from Joseph Lavoie. Officers, including the Emergency Task Force, were sent to the scene as a result of that conversation. Specifics of the 911 call could not be revealed at this time.
When negotiators could not make contact with anyone inside the house, the task force entered the home and found the bodies of the deceased.
Adams said anytime there is concern a weapon may be involved or a person could be barricaded, caution is always used.
“There area around the home is contained; officers are put in place,” he said. “We have a very highly trained emergency task unit, which has very specialized skills that are deployed. We set up a full incident command. The reason for that is it’s to protect everyone involved: the person in the home, the officers involved and the community. Safety is the No. 1 and paramount concern.”
Adams added an incident like this is rare for the city and surrounding area and it’s been several years since anything similar has happened.
“You can certainly appreciate the shock factor for the family of course, but also this was a small rural community and definitely had an impact there as well,” he said.
