Family suspects PTSD in murder suicide of Iraq vet and wife

Family suspects PTSD in couple's murder-suicide

03:22 PM PDT on Monday, August 31, 2009

KREM.com / LEE STOLL


REPUBLIC, WA. -- Family members say a young man suspected of killing his wife and then himself in an apparent murder-suicide in Republic may have suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after returning from Iraq.

Jessica Armstrong and Chad Olson.

Chad Olson, 21, and Jessica Armstrong were found shot to death in the home they shared with Olson's parents early Saturday morning.

Olson's brother called 911 after hearing gunshots in the home. He went to check on the couple, but saw blood through the window.

Authorities say they found several rambling notes in the house, mostly incoherent, but many starting with the words "I'm sorry."

According to Olson's MySpace page, he logged on about an hour before police say he shot Armstrong and killed himself.

Last month, Jessica posted several messages about how excited she was to marry Olson on July 10th. But less than two weeks later, authorities say Armstrong filed for separation.

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Family suspects PTSD in couples murder-suicide

How many more times will this happen?

Fort Bragg Iraq war vet kills girlfriend, then himself
Fort Bragg Iraq war vet kills girlfriend, then himself
By LAURA NORTON & GLENDA ANDERSONGLENDA ANDERSON
Published: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 1:27 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 1:27 p.m.
A Fort Bragg couple was found dead Monday evening in what authorities believe is a murder suicide.Mendocino County Sheriff’s authorities said Tuesday 26-year-old Jacob Gregory Swanson, an Iraq war Army veteran, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head in his living room. His girlfriend, 36-year-old Amy Rochelle Salo, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the face in a bathroom at the home.
Iraq vet struggled with PTSD then killed wife, himself

TORTURED SOUL: Iraq vet struggled with PTSD then killed wife, himself
Wartime tragedy followed airman home to North Las Vegas
By KEITH ROGERSLAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL...........The fire was so intense it melted plastic reflectors on another truck in the 35-vehicle convoy.When the flames subsided seven hours later, "Klink," as he was called, recovered Jurn's remains and hauled them back to their base in Balad.Jason's parents, Art and Monette Klinkenberg of Tooele, Utah, noticed the change in their son upon his return from Iraq in early 2006.

Fort Hood Reservist and Iving Police Officer Kills Wife and Self
WFAA-TV Investigators say an Irving police officer murdered his wife while their two children were present in their Fort Worth home.
By DAVID SCHECHTER / WFAA-TV WFAA-TV FORT WORTH — Investigators say an Irving police officer murdered his wife while their two children were present in their Fort Worth home. Then, police say, the officer killed himself. The officer was a 36-year-old Army reservist currently on active duty at Fort Hood.


Sgt. Steven D. Lopez was thought to be suicidal before murder-suicide ended two lives
Inquiry reveals soldier was thought suicidal
By Ruffin Prevost - The Billings Gazette
Posted : Wednesday Aug 20, 2008 18:51:28 EDTCODY, Wyo. — Lovell police and an Army sergeant worked unsuccessfully last year to persuade a suicidal soldier to return to his base in North Carolina, fearing that he might harm himself or others. One week later, the soldier killed his estranged wife and himself.Recordings of telephone conversations between police and Army personnel, along with a separate report by the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division, offer some insight into the circumstances leading up to the fatal encounter.

There are more, far too many more on this blog alone. It's only been up for two years and here are over 42 posts on murder suicide and several more on investigations. There are Iraq veterans and Afghanistan veterans, Vietnam veterans, cops, you name it. The most troubling part out of all of this is that too many other people will just not get it and understand how serious this all is.

These are not your average run of the mill common criminals. These are men and yes, women, willing to lay down there lives for the sake of someone else all of a sudden turning into someone not only wanting to die, but to take someone they are supposed to love with them. See any reason to respond to all of this better than we have done? Do people kill other people? Yes. There is an enormous problem when it ends up coming from someone willing to die to help a stranger though.

We will keep reading more and more reports like this unless we finally get our act together and address the deeper emotional issue behind most of this. PTSD is not going away and will end up being one more generational carry over when kids grow up with a Dad or Mom veteran that never saw the help they need.

If you want to read more about murder-suicides, try reading Screaming in an Empty Room because that blog goes back over a few years. There are many more there.