Tadesse B. Wodajo, 47, shot and killed Tigst F. Mamo, 35, before shooting himself Wednesday morning in the 9400 block of Indian Meadows Drive, Olivette police Capt. Mike Roemer said. Both were shot with a handgun found at the scene.
The motive for the killing was unclear, police said, although neighbors told police the couple had been having relationship troubles. Police were not aware of any previous problems at home, in a subdivision north of Olive Road and west of Dielman Road, and had not been called to the address in the past, Roemer said.
The couple’s two children, a boy and girl of elementary school age, are safe, Roemer said.
The children called an uncle after the 7 a.m. shooting, and the uncle called police. Roemer declined to say where the children were when the shooting took place or if they witnessed the killings. He also did not provide the ages of the children.
When investigators arrived they found the husband dead on the floor, and his wife dead in another room.
The Wodajos are immigrants from Ethiopia. The children are staying with family members and are being treated by medical and psychological professionals.
