UPDATE:  08/03/2015

The Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division learned this afternoon that the Arkansas State Medical Examiner's Office in Little Rock has confirmed in a preliminary report the murder-suicide determination made in the shooting deaths of TERRY C. MILLS and  SANDRA CHRISTINE DOUGLAS that was reported on July 26th.  (see original press release below).

The case file will remain open pending the delivery of a final report from the medical examiner.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff

ORIGINAL RELEASE FROM JULY 26TH: 

The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of two rural Mountain Home residents who were found deceased early this morning inside their home, both from gunshot wounds. Investigators are preliminarily looking at the incident as a murder-suicide based upon information and evidence thus far obtained.

     Sheriff’s deputies first went to the residence at 122 Road 1428 off State Highway 201 North in the area of Pigeon Creek at approximately 12:55 AM this morning after being asked by a member of his family to check the welfare of the man living there. Deputies found and spoke with this man for several minutes on the front porch of the residence after he came outside to greet them and then left.

     At approximately 3:06 AM this morning, the Sheriff’s Office received a second call from a member of the family, who resides out of state, indicating he believes there had been a struggle inside the residence and that the man’s girlfriend was dead.

     Deputies responded a second time and found the man they had spoken to previously and a woman both to be deceased inside the home from gunshot wounds. An investigation was initiated. A neighbor told investigators that he had visually seen both this man and the woman between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM Saturday evening. Later at around 9:00 PM, the neighbor stated he heard several gunshots in the area of that residence. A firearm and spent casings were recovered and taken into evidence at the scene.

     Investigators also found a suicide note the man had left behind. The deceased were identified as 57 year old TERRY C. MILLS and 47 year old SANDRA CHRISTINE DOUGLAS. Both of them are believed to have resided together in the home.

     The County Coroner’s Office assisted with the investigation. The decedents are being taken to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner’s Office in Little Rock for autopsy. No additional information will be available for release until after the autopsy results have been obtained.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff