2 Die in Apparent Murder-Suicide

An elderly married couple were found shot outside a convalescent home Sunday morning in an apparent murder-suicide, authorities said.

William Wagler Sr., 79, of Palmdale apparently shot his wife, Julia Wagler, 86, and then turned the gun on himself, said Sgt. Ann Pickering of the Los Angeles Police Department. A worker at the home in the 10600 block of Owensmouth Avenue heard two shots coming from the rear parking lot about 11:15 a.m. She found Julia Wagler, who lived at the home, slumped over in a wheelchair and her husband lying next to her on the asphalt, Pickering said.

Each had a bullet wound to the head, she said. The Waglers were taken to Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where they both died Sunday afternoon.

“It appears that the couple’s poor health was the motivation for the murder-suicide,” Pickering said.

Investigators at the scene were told Julia Wagler had been seriously ill and that her husband had been “a faithful caretaker,” LAPD Sgt. Sherri Stanley said.