COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Division of Police is investigating four murder-suicides that have happened in the last three weeks. The latest happened Monday night on the city's northeast side.
According to police, officers were called to a home in the 5900 block of Pine Rise Court for reports of domestic violence and a shooting.
Officers found a man, 31-year-old Kristian Hives, unresponsive in the backyard and a woman, 41-year-old Nicole Pannell, unresponsive inside the home. Both were pronounced dead. Police recovered a Glock at the scene.
Neighbors said the family just moved in two weeks ago.
“Her boyfriend came over and I heard screaming and I heard gunshots from downstairs,” said the woman’s son to 911 dispatchers. "It was out of the blue. I never knew they had any problems."
Neighbors said the cul-de-sac is quiet and they were shocked to hear about the loss of two lives.
“Still pretty shaken up about it,” one neighbor said.
“(Another neighbor) said about 11:15 all these cops were out here. He said they found out she was trying to escape or leave and he went out to the back and shot her,” said neighbor Kristy Giles.
This is the fourth shooting Columbus police have investigated as a murder-suicide in the past three weeks.
There were 25 domestic violence homicides in all of last year. There have been 16 so far this year.
“Domestic abuse is real. Mental health is real. Check on your family, check on your friends, check on your loved ones,” Giles said.
“It is a huge issue and what we find is that any given year, there's about 1,000 murder-suicides throughout the United States. Oftentimes, I think over 60% of the time the victim is an intimate partner. 90% of the suspects tend to be male. Firearms are used in about 90% of the cases,” said Columbus Police Deputy Chief Smith Weir on Aug. 26.
If you or someone you know needs help to get out of an abusive situation call the free National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or LSS CHOICES 24/7 hotline at 614-224-4663.
Anyone with information is asked to call Columbus Police Detective Zimmer at 614-645-4217, the homicide unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).