Washington authorities say they found an elementary school principal, her therapy dog, and a cat shot dead inside a Bellingham home.
The Bellingham Herald reports that police found the body of 58-year-old Lynn Heimsoth on Thursday, inside a Chartwell Estates condominium she shared with her husband and several pets. Heimsoth was the principal at Sunnyland Elementary School.
According to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, authorities arrived at the home on December 26 after a report of a possible murder-suicide. When they arrived, authorities found Heimsoth and her therapy dog, Sukha, shot dead. They also found the family cat shot to death inside the residence, along with Heimsoth’s husband, who had a gunshot wound to the head.
The husband was alive when authorities arrived and subsequently taken to a local hospital. Heimsoth and the pets were pronounced dead.
Police reportedly indicated that the woman’s husband is the suspected shooter and likely shot himself in the head after killing his wife and pets. His name has not yet been released.
“Her death is a profound loss to our Sunnyland community, our school district and to our extended community,” Superintendent Greg Baker of the Bellingham Public Schools wrote. “Lynn was a passionate, equity-driven instructional leader. She loved kids to the core and always kept students’ needs at the center of her work.”
According to Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo, no other details are available at this time. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Pixabay]
