Police are investigating after a 16-year-old Hyrum girl found her parents fatally shot in an apparent murder-suicide at their home Wednesday.
According to a news release from the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a residence in Hyrum — 8 miles south of Logan — on Wednesday evening and found the bodies of the married couple.
The 37-year-old woman was found in a bedroom, and the 38-year-old man was found in another part of the house. Both had been shot, authorities said. They were identified Thursday afternoon as Heather and Dustin Preece.
It’s unclear when the couple died, but the child found them Wednesday and called authorities.
Dustin Preece shot Heather Preece before killing himself, a medical examiner determined Thursday afternoon, according to the sheriff’s office.
“This is a terrible incident that happened in our peaceful community, but especially for the 16-year-old daughter who discovered the scene,” said Cache County Sherriff D. Chad Jensen in a statement released Thursday afternoon.
Victims’ advocates were called to help the 16-year-old girl. The deaths remain under investigation.
Editor’s note • Those who are experiencing intimate partner violence, or know someone who is, are urged to call the Utah Domestic Violence Link Line, 1-800-897-LINK (5465), or Utah’s 24-hour Sexual Violence Help Line at 801-736-4356 (English) or 801-924-0860 (Spanish).
