UPDATE: Victims in Pocomoke double murder-suicide identified
Maryland State Police confirm Marvin Wilmer Purnell, 78, and Karen E. Purnell, 53, were the victims of a double-murder suicide on Monday.
Investigators believe Marvin Desmond Purnell, 46, killed his father, Marvin Wilmer, and Marvin Wilmer’s sister, Karen, Marvin Desmond’s aunt, and then fatally shot himself. The three apparently all lived in the home on the 2200 block of Groton Road.
So far, 47 ABC has received conflicting reports about the relationships of the family members. Friends of the Purnells say Karen and Marvin Desmond are siblings, and Marvin Wilmer is their father. State Police tell 47 ABC otherwise.
According to Sgt. DaVaughn Parker of Maryland State Police, Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a welfare check on Karen, after her friend told authorities she had not heard from Karen for some time, even after checking on the residence.
Sgt. Parker explains that friend contacted police after she detected a strong odor at the residence, and received no answer at the door. The man reportedly refused to open Deputies’ commands to open the door.
At this point, State Police say the Deputies obtained a key to the home, and entered the home. Upon their entry, they spotted the bodies of Marvin Wilmer and Karen in the living room, both of whom were decomposing, all according to an MSP release.
As Deputies continued to look around, the reportedly found another body in the hallway of the home, suffering from a gunshot wound, with a rifle underneath his body. This was later identified as Marvin Desmond.
Following the discovery of the three bodies, Sgt. Parker states that the Deputies exited the home and set up a perimeter for safety. State Police state that attempts were made to contact Marvin Desmond, who was not identified as one of the deceased as of yet.
At this point, police were unaware of any potential suspects in the home, and a CS gas can was reportedly administered, which officials say started a fire in the home.
The Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company responded just before 2:00 p.m. to extinguish the blaze.
Investigators then apparently entered the home again, and identified Marvin Desmond as the deceased in the hallway, and removed his body from the home.
Both Marvin Wilmer and Karen’s bodies will be transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy, in an effort to rule an exact cause of death.
When 47 ABC asked Sgt. Parker about a possible motive for the murders, he could not reveal any details.
The investigation is ongoing by members of the Maryland State Police homicide Unit, with assistance from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and State Police Criminal Enforcement Division.
