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Elderly Couple Found Dead On Hiking Trail Had Made Agreement ‘To End Their Lives Together,’ Police Say
Lee And Stella Vigil were found dead on a hiking trail in Colorado Springs, and authorities say they have evidence it was a mutually agreed upon murder-suicide.
An elderly New Mexico couple found shot to death along a hiking trail in Colorado had made a pact to die together, according to authorities.
Leroy "Lee" Vigil, 73, and Stella Vigil, 72, were found dead along the Santa Fe Trail on Saturday morning, the Colorado Springs Police said Monday. Violent crime and homicide detectives then took over the investigation, and they determined that they weren't looking for any suspects. The Colorado Springs Police stated that they had “identified all persons involved in this incident.”
“There is no danger to the community and detectives do not anticipate any arrests as a result of this investigation,” authorities added.
Police now say that the couple had hashed out a murder-suicide arrangement, according to a statement issued by Colorado Springs Police, who noted that “detectives obtained evidence" that supported that theory. Investigators haven't released what kind of evidence led them to such a conclusion. They stated that autopsies of the couple revealed that Stella was murdered while Lee died by suicide. Both died from “apparent gunshot wounds."
The couple had been considered missing before their bodies were discovered and it was believed that they had simply gone out for a hike on the trail, which they had been known to do. After they were reported missing, investigators found their bodies after coming across the couple’s car near the trail, which leads to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
Police had called the couple “at-risk” adults while they were still missing, presumably because of their age.
