Mother And Son Killed In Apparent Murder-Suicide ID'd

SAN DIEGO, CA — Authorities Wednesday publicly identified a mother and son, ages 83 and 51, who died in an apparent murder-suicide at their Burlingame- area home.

Patrol officers responding to reports of gunfire in the neighborhood just east of Balboa Park shortly after 7:30 p.m. on March 23 found Galen Sherwood mortally wounded by a self-inflicted bullet wound to the head on the front porch of the house he shared with his mother in the 2400 block of San Marcos Avenue, according to the San Diego Police Department.

"Officers located a handgun near the man," SDPD acting Lt. Christopher Leahy said.

Inside the home, police found Virginia Sherwood suffering from a gunshot wound to her upper torso. She died at the scene, Leahy said.

Paramedics took Galen Sherwood to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators believe that the son fatally shot his mother before turning the gun on himself, according to police.

"Detectives from the (SDPD) Homicide Unit responded and assumed responsibility for the investigation," Leahy said. "The recovered firearm was collected as evidence and will be examined at the San Diego Police Crime Laboratory for analysis, including comparison of test-fired rounds to the cartridge casings recovered at the scene."

— City News Service