AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Police Department on Tuesday confirmed it was investigating a possible homicide-suicide after a man and woman were found dead Monday evening.
According to a release from the department, police and fire crews were called to the 500 block of Lansing Road just before 7 p.m. for reports of a house fire as well as gunshots. Once on scene, authorities discovered smoke and flames coming from the residence as well as the unconscious victim in the driveway. She was quickly pronounced dead with "multiple" gunshot wounds.
According to the Summit County Medical Examiner, the homicide victim has been identified as 44-year-old Christina Spigner. Her cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the head and torso
Spigner's body was removed from the area as firefighters worked to control the "active but small" blaze.
After the house fire was extinguished, a man was found in the basement of the residence with a gunshot wound, the news release said. He has been identified as 38-year-old Jonathan Deford,
Deford was pronounced dead at the scene just before 10:30 p.m. with a cause of death determined to be suicide by a gunshot wound to the head.
A preliminary report said multiple gunshots were heard at or near the home in the moments leading up to the incident, the news release said.
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