SHARON Police probe killing of 3

Police had answered previous calls reporting domestic disputes at the scene of Monday's shootings.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
SHARON, Pa. -- A city woman and her male friend were shot to death Monday evening in her home by her estranged husband, who then shot and killed himself, authorities said.
J. Bradley McGonigle, Mercer County coroner, has ruled the deaths of Susan Stafford and her friend, Randy Trepasso, homicides, and the death of Bill Stafford, a suicide.
The shootings occurred shortly before 9 p.m. in a second-floor front bedroom of a duplex at 760 S. Irvine Ave., just 180 feet from the Pennsylvania-Ohio line, which also serves as the Sharon city limits.
"It was probably a domestic type situation which caused it," said Police Chief Raymond Greene, adding that all three were found dead in the room where the shootings occurred.
A rifle and a handgun apparently were used in the shootings, but there doesn't appear to have been a struggle before the shootings, he said. Police had answered calls previously reporting domestic disputes at Ms. Stafford's residence, he said.
Neighbor's reaction: Theresa Tolonie, who lives in the other half of the duplex, at 758 S. Irvine Ave., said Ms. Stafford's daughter, Autumn Stafford, 15, and son, Tom Mortimer, 20, who also lived at 760 S. Irvine Ave., and a female friend of Tom's were in the residence at the time of the shootings, but they weren't injured.
"It's unbelievable. I didn't think anything like this would happen," Tolonie said, adding that the Stafford family had lived there for a year and two months. She characterized the family as "nice, quiet, friendly."
"He would come here and bother her, more or less, trying to get her back," Tolonie said of Bill Stafford, who was Autumn's father.
Tolonie said the shootings occurred while she was away from her home for 15 minutes, and she returned to find Ms. Stafford's son and daughter coming out of the house screaming.
Shortly after midnight, a large crowd was still gathered at the scene, which was visible on a main thoroughfare, U.S. Route 62, at the main entrance to the city from Hubbard.