Elderly Couple Found Dead in Colorado Springs Ruled a Case of Murder-Suicide

The deaths of an elderly couple in their seventies found near a hiking trail in Colorado Springs during the early hours of Saturday morning after the two were believed to be on a hike has been ruled a murder-suicide by police. Detectives found evidence that leads them to believe the couple planned to end their lives together.

Police found the bodies of Leroy "Lee", 73, and Stella,72, Vigil both of New Mexico, who died of apparent gunshot wounds, around 12:30 a.m. near Monument Creek just off of Santa Fe Trail, according to police. The couple was declared missing on Friday evening around 8:30 p.m. by Colorado Springs Police, police said.

Police found the couple's car parked at the trailhead near Monument Creek. At the time, authorities urged the public that there were no suspects and had "identified all persons involved in the incident," police reported.

El Paso County Coroner's Office conducted an autopsy Oct. 5 and ruled Stella Vigil's death a homicide and Leroy Vigil a suicide.

Stella Vigil's death is the 29th homicide the department has investigated in the city of Colorado Springs this year. There were 17 homicides investigated the previous year.

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