On January 6, 2021, deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence in the 11000 block of Argonne in Festus, Missouri, following a request for a wellness check. A concerned relative had contacted 911 dispatch after being unable to reach family members at the home for several days. Upon arrival around 10:00 a.m., law enforcement officers received no answer at the door and were subsequently granted entry by the reporting relative.
Inside the residence,
authorities discovered the bodies of two individuals in a bedroom. Laurie Elizabeth Dothage, a 44-year-old female, was found deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. Lying beside her was her husband, 51-year-old Scott Dothage, who had also sustained a fatal gunshot wound. Investigators located a firearm in Scott Dothage's possession, which was identified as the weapon used in the incident.
The investigation determined that the event was a murder-suicide, with evidence indicating that Scott Dothage shot his wife before turning the weapon on himself. Sheriff Dave Marshak confirmed that the shooting was an isolated incident and that there were no additional suspects involved or outstanding threats to the public. Due to the death of the sole suspect at the scene, no arrests were made, and the case was effectively closed by local authorities.
