In a quiet corner of Warrington Township, Pennsylvania, a story of friendship and tragedy unfolded, forever changing the lives of two families. Barbara Schrum, a 55-year-old woman, lost her life on May 29, 2015, in a violent act that stemmed from a domestic dispute involving her friend.
Barbara had accompanied her friend, 54-year-old Laurie Kepner, to the home Laurie had recently shared with her estranged husband, Martin Kepner. Laurie had moved out of the residence on Lisburn Road the previous December and was returning to gather some of her personal belongings. Fearing for her safety, she had asked Barbara to come with her.
Tragically, their caution was not enough. Inside the home, Martin Kepner confronted the two women. The situation escalated with horrific speed, ending in a double murder-suicide. State Police were called to the scene just before 8 p.m. to investigate a shooting and discovered the bodies of all three individuals.
The York County Coroner's investigation revealed that Barbara Schrum died from a gunshot wound to the head and trauma to her neck. Laurie Kepner was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head. The perpetrator, 60-year-old Martin Kepner, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The case was closed with Martin Kepner identified as the sole suspect, and as he took his own life, no arrests were made. The incident was the fourth domestic murder-suicide or attempted murder-suicide in York County in the span of about a month, highlighting a disturbing trend of domestic violence in the area. In the wake of this tragedy, a new law was proposed to allow domestic violence victims to request a police escort to retrieve their belongings, a measure that some believe could have saved the lives of Barbara Schrum and Laurie Kepner.
