Cops: Man kills wife in New Jersey murder-suicide

MAHWAH (WABC) -- Police are investigating an apparent murder-suicide in New Jersey Friday morning.

Authorities received a call just after 8 a.m. from a woman who said her elderly father had killer her mother and was about to kill himself. The woman, who lived nearby her parents' Mahwah home, reportedly gave police the garage door code.

A SWAT team responded to the Polo Lane home and found a woman inside with a gunshot wound to the head. In the backyard, they found a man suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

They were both rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, where they were pronounced dead around 10:40 a.m.

The identities of the deceased have been confirmed as 79-year-old Barbara Ellis and 82-year-old Harry Ellis.

"They were the nicest people you could ask for," neighbor Eric Boe said. "I can't believe it. I just found out about it myself...Just why? I can't imagine why it would happen."

The investigation is ongoing, and the motive remains unknown. Authorities say there was no prior history of domestic violence at the house. Officials were checking with the family to see if either parent may have had medical issues.

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