In the quiet neighborhood of Huntington Place in Rock Hill, South Carolina, a caregiver arrived at the home of James and Mary Jean Martin on the morning of December 9, 2013, to a scene of tragedy. Inside, the couple, married for 14 years, were found deceased in their bed. Dr. Mary Jean Martin, an 81-year-old female, had been a prominent figure in the community, remembered for her leadership as a former chairwoman of Winthrop University's Board of Trustees.
Investigators determined that
Mary Martin's death was a result of a gunshot wound. Her husband, 91-year-old James Martin, had taken her life before turning the gun on himself in a tragic murder-suicide. Friends and acquaintances recalled the couple as devoted members of St. John's United Methodist Church. Mary, who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, was described as a strong and quiet leader who led by example.
Authorities found a note left by James Martin with instructions for family members to be contacted. The police did not suspect any outside involvement in the deaths. Autopsies later confirmed that both Mary and James Martin died from gunshot wounds. The incident left the Rock Hill community to grapple with the somber end to the lives of two of its long-standing residents.
