Police Say Inverness Woman Died Of Self-Inflicted Gunshot, Husband Died In Fire
INVERNESS, Ill. (CBS/AP) -- An Inverness woman whose body was retrieved Sunday from the burning home she shared with her husband, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Inverness Police Chief Bob Haas said Monday that Marlene Pieracci, 82, was found inside a vehicle in the garage of the home.
Hass said her husband, Mario Pieracci, 84, was found in the living area of the house and appears to have died as a result of the fire.
Palatine Rural Fire Protection District firefighters called to the residence Sunday arrived to find heavy flames and smoke at the back of the split-level home.
A neighbor spoke to the victims earlier in the day and had planned to have them over later.
"It was a devastating loss for all of us," said neighbor Tom Kennedy. "I'm still, I guess, in a little bit of a state of shock. I just can't accept it. You're talking to him - an hour later, you find out he died."
The cause of the fire remained under investigation late Monday. The fire chief said, aside from firefighters having to crawl over a few snowbanks, the weather was not a factor in fighting the fire.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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