Probable murder-suicide on Volney Road


By William K. Alcorn

alcorn@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown police are investigating a probable mother-son murder-suicide that occurred several days ago in a home in the 2000 block of Volney Road.

Police and personnel from the Mahoning County Coroner’s office were called to the scene at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Police Detective Capt. Bradley Blackburn, speaking briefly to media, said the deaths were a possible murder-suicide.

The mother was 49, her son was 17. The names of the victims were not released.

Mahoning County Dog Warden personnel, who came to rescue a Japanese Akita dog that was kept outside the home, estimated the deaths had occurred several days ago.

A neighbor across the street, Betty Greene, said that people had come to the house the last few days and were outside calling for the mother and her son.

Greene, a retired Youngstown City Schools central office supervisor who had served on the district’s Academic Distress Commission, also said that during the last three weeks she had noticed multiple cars at the victims’ residence.

Greene said the boy formerly attended Kirkmere School, but in recent years rarely left the house. His mother said he was being home-schooled, Greene said.

A media release said police and the county coroner are investigating what appears to be a murder-suicide.

The victims were found inside their home.

If one of the victims’ death is ruled a homicide, it would be the 17th homicide in 2016 compared with 16 at this time in 2015.