DONNA, Texas — A devastating act of domestic violence unfolded Wednesday afternoon at a rural day care in Donna, Texas, leaving a husband and wife dead in what investigators describe as a murder-suicide.
According to the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a shots-fired call at a day care located in the 1200 block of Stites Road. When they arrived, they found a 26-year-old woman and her 41-year-old husband dead outside the facility.
Sheriff Eddie Guerra said the couple had been separated and that the husband may have been involved in an extramarital affair. The tragedy began when the man reportedly forced his way through a window of the day care after seeing his wife inside.
Authorities believe the woman bravely tried to lead him away from the children, fleeing through the back door. However, the husband chased her outside, shooting multiple times before turning the gun on himself.
“This is a result of domestic violence,” Sheriff Guerra said solemnly. “She tried to protect the children.”
Five children were inside the day care at the time, but none were physically harmed. Officials say the children likely heard the gunshots, though they did not witness the shooting.
The investigation remains ongoing as the community of Donna mourns yet another senseless act of domestic violence that claimed two lives and shattered many others.
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