An Oxford couple was found dead in the Lake Villa mobile home park Saturday, the result of an apparent murder-suicide, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies were called to an E. Manor Street home around 5:30 p.m. after the home owner found her son and daughter-in-law deceased in the bedroom.
Based on the investigation, Lt. Tom Parker, Oxford Twp. substation commander, said it appears Donald Frederick Ward III, 38, shot and killed his estranged wife Vanessa Joyce Ward, 23, then turned the gun on himself.
‘Strong indications are that it was a murder-suicide,? Parker said.
Donald Ward was living with his mother in Lake Villa, while Vanessa Ward had been staying with her parents in Dryden.
‘They were separated,? Parker said. ‘Divorce proceedings had started approximately 10 days ago.?
The couple had previously lived in Orion Township, but moved approximately three months ago.
Parker said Donald Ward’s mother left the two alone in her trailer to discuss property and custody arrangements.
‘She went around the corner to her other son’s residence and waited,? the lieutenant said.
After about an hour, the mother called her house and received no answer.
‘So, she sent her other son to go check on them and he discovered the deceased,? Parker said.
A 12-gauge shotgun was found next to Donald Ward’s body.
‘It wasn’t even his weapon. It was his brother’s weapon,? Parker said.
Apparently, the brother had been storing the gun in his car.
‘The last time he used it was in November and he left it in the car,? Parker said. ‘The brother had no knowledge (the gun was missing or of the shootings).?
Prior to Saturday’s killings, Parker said the only police record of any problems between the Wards was on March 27 when deputies were called to Collier Lanes because the couple was reportedly engaged in a ‘shouting match.?
Vanessa Ward’s parents told investigators that Donald had made ‘some threatening phone calls? to their daughter, according to the lieutenant.
‘But there were no (Personal Protection Orders), no restraining orders, no pending court cases, no do-not-contact stuff from the court or anything,? Parker said.
The deceased couple’s six-year-old daughter is currently staying with Vanessa Ward’s parents in Dryden.
Parker said the daughter was ‘around the corner? with Donald Ward’s mother at the time of the shootings. ‘She never saw anything,? the lieutenant said.
As far as Donald Ward’s criminal history, he was convicted in 1990 on felony charges of disinterment and mutilation of a dead body from the Lakeville Cemetery in Addison Township.
According to an October 10, 1990 article in the Leader, Ward and three other men were charged with stealing the body of Rebecca Sue Brecht, who died in 1972 at the age of 18 months.
The body was later recovered wrapped in a garbage bag beneath 10 feet of water in a gravel pit off Dunlap Road in Oxford Township.