INDIANOLA, Iowa — Two people are dead in what Indianola police are calling a murder-suicide.
Officers were called to conduct a welfare check at East Park Apartments at 12:30 p.m. on Friday. Upon arrival, police found two deceased adults.
Following an investigation conducted by Indianola PD and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the incident was officially ruled a murder-suicide.
56-year-old Jack Gordon Heiss, Jr. was found with a fatal, self-inflicted injury at the scene. He was in a domestic relationship with the victim, according to Indianola police.
Local 5 has chosen to withhold the name of the victim out of respect to her and her family.
This is the third incident police have called a murder-suicide or murder-suicide attempt in the Des Moines metro in less than two months. The other instances, which occurred in West Des Moines and Waukee, were also linked to domestic relationships.
In addition, a Windsor Heights woman was killed by her partner, who she lived with, in mid-January. Her partner subsequently died of self-inflicted injuries; however, Windsor Heights police did not officially label the incident a murder-suicide.
According to the Violence Policy Center, 65% of all murder-suicides involve an intimate partner. 96% of the victims in those cases are female.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the Iowa Victim Service Call Center at 1-800-770-1650.
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