Woman police say shot her son, then herself, dies

STRUTHERS

The 44-year-old woman police say shot her son, then herself, at their 433

Seventh St. residence last week has died.

Leslie Slaven was 44.

Following last Thursday's apparent murder-suicide attempt -- in which her

son, 23-year-old Justin Slaven, died -- she remained at St. Elizabeth Health

Center in Youngstown in critical condition until her death Tuesday, police

said.

Detective Ray Greenwood added that the police department is still waiting on

findings from an investigation into the shootings conducted by the Mahoning

County Coroner's Office, along with the gunshot residue analysis performed

by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The coroner's office will

likely also perform an autopsy on Leslie Slaven.

But after receiving that information, the investigation will likely be

closed, Greenwood said.

"If it reveals what we suspected at the beginning, ... we will officially

close the case," he said. "There is no one to prosecute at this point."

According to police, Leslie Slaven used a .38-caliber revolver handgun to

administer the ultimately fatal shots to both her head and her son's head.

Robert Slaven discovered his wife and son in the basement of their home

between 11 and 11:30 p.m. last Thursday.

A neighbor called police after Robert Slaven ran to his house, saying his

wife and son were dead and that she'd shot them both.

When police arrived, Leslie Slaven was unconscious but alive.