Police Name 3 Dead in Pocomoke Murder-Suicide

POCOMOKE CITY, Md. (AP) — Three people have died in what police are calling a murder suicide in Pocomoke City.

Media outlets report Maryland State Police identified the deceased people Monday as 78-year-old Marvin Purnell Sr., 52-year-old Karen Purnell and 46-year-old Marvin Purnell Jr.

Sgt. DeVaughn Parker of the state police says the bodies were found Monday inside a home where the three lived.

Parker says Worcester County Sheriff's deputies responded to the home for a welfare check. They arrived to find two bodies inside and heard the voice of a man.

Police attempted to get the man to leave the house, and eventually fired tear gas into the home, which started a fire.

When police entered afterward, they found the body of Purnell Jr. with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The other bodies were recovered shortly after.

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