Married couple killed in apparent murder-suicide rattles Baltimore community
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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Residents in a quiet Owings Mills community are grappling with an apparent murder-suicide that left a married couple dead Tuesday afternoon.
Baltimore County officers were called around 4 p.m. for an assault at a house on Avery Hill Drive in the Worthington Park neighborhood. When police arrived, they found 59-year-old Karen Franklin and 63-year-old Gary Franklin dead with apparent gunshot wounds
Police said one of the victims died from a self-inflicted gunshot.
“It is very shocking to have something like this happen in our neighborhood,” said neighbor Erin Knapp.
Knapp said she saw about a dozen police cars. Dan Katz, another neighbor, told WJZ there was commotion on the Worthington Park social media page.
“Just horrible, it’s just tragic,” Katz said.
Katz said he didn’t know the couple well, but he’s heartbroken for their family.
“You don’t know what is going through people’s heads, but it’s just very sad for the children, and just a horrible situation,” Katz said.
Baltimore County police said investigators are still working to piece together what led to the tragedy.
According to the Baltimore County Police Crime Data, there have been 11 homicides in the county this year through the end of March.
Overall, crime has been declining in Baltimore County. In 2023, there were a total of 61,154 criminal offenses reported in the county. In 2024, there were 58,561 criminal offenses reported, according to Baltimore County Police data.
Many of the crimes reported between January 2024 and January 2025 were theft, assault or fraud offenses. In 2024, there were 665 weapons violations reported in the county.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.
For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.
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