Catherine Murch killed two kids, self in murder suicide says police

Authorities were sketchy whether Catherine Murch indeed murdered her children then herself in a murder suicide in St Louis.

Murch Family photo from Cathy Murch’s Facebook page

Investigators say they’ve determined suburban St. Louis mother  Murch killed her two young children and herself in the family’s Glendale home last week.

During a news conference, Lt. Tim Fagan said although investigators were still awaiting toxicology results, they were confident the shooting was a murder-suicide, as was originally reported.

Fagan cited three key pieces of evidence in determining that Catherine Murch was responsible for the shootings: an autopsy suggesting her wounds were self-inflicted, a receipt showing she bought the handgun used in the shootings from a St. Louis business two days earlier, and her longtime battle with depression.

He said no suicide note was found.

Mitchell Murch II (Catherine’s husband) called police to report that he heard shots. Police who responded found 42-year-old Catherine Murch in the kitchen, 10-year-old Mitchell Murch III elsewhere on the first floor and 8-year-old Mary Claire Murch on the second floor of the house.

“She was having a difficult time,” Fagan said. “I don’t know if there was much opportunity for him to intervene,” Fagan said, referring to the children’s father.

Police said Mitchell Murch II was reading inside the home when he heard gunfire. When first responders arrived, they found him trying to resuscitate his son.