Police: 67-Year-Old Pasadena Man Kills 25-Year-Old Girlfriend, Himself

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- Anne Arundel County Police have released some new details in a bizarre murder/suicide in the Orchard Beach neighborhood.

Derek Valcourt has more on the case that has upset so many neighbors there.

Some neighbors were so upset they were screaming with anger at WJZ crews as we showed up to report on the story.

Police, meanwhile, are still trying to piece it together.

As Anne Arundel County police swarmed the 8000-block of High Point Road after reports of a gunshot, neighbors could only watch the ensuing chaos.

"The whole block was pretty much blasted with police officers everywhere," a neighbor said.

Police say they learned 67-year-old homeowner Charles Benton White had shut himself inside the house armed with a gun. Streets were blocked off and officers tried to get White to surrender.

"Not too long after that, we heard a single shot. At that point, we believed that there was a suicide that may have occurred," said Lt. T.J. Smith, Anne Arundel County Police.

In fact when police entered the house, they found White had shot himself. They also found his 25-year-old live-in girlfriend, Elizabeth Leigh Thorpe, also dead of a gunshot.

Neighbors declined to speak with WJZ on camera, but say White had lived in the area for a long time.

Another adult man and a child were also in the house when an altercation first broke out but they were able to escape unharmed. Investigators are hoping they can shed more light on what happened.

"The why is the big question. We are still trying to figure that out," Smith said.

Neighbors are still reeling from the tragic news.

"It was a big thing here for this neighborhood because we're not used to actually getting these types of stories," a neighbor said.

Police say this was domestic, not a random act of violence. It has been ruled a murder/suicide but an investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to call Anne Arundel County's homicide unit.

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