Police say man killed wife before taking his own life

A man killed his wife and then himself at their holiday home in Naantali, in southwest Finland, in late May, police said. Yle reported that the couple, both in their 50s, were found dead inside the property.

Southwest Finland Police said a technical examination at the scene gave investigators reason to believe the man shot his wife before killing himself. The firearm belonged to him and was licensed, but he had reported it missing several years earlier.

Police have completed their pre-trial investigation and closed the case. It will not proceed to consideration of charges because the suspect has died.

Police said they had not previously made the case public because the investigation was ongoing and to protect privacy. They released the information now to encourage public discussion, saying intimate partner violence must be taken extremely seriously and is a crime, not a private matter.