In December of 2014, in the small town of Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania, a heart-wrenching discovery was made that left the community in shock. Leanne McDade, a 42-year-old female, was found deceased in her home on Clinton Avenue. This was not a solitary tragedy; her husband, Mark McDade, aged 45, was also found dead beside her. The scene, discovered by a family member in an upstairs bedroom, was the grim culmination of a domestic situation that had turned fatal.
The initial investigation by the Westmoreland County coroner's office quickly pointed towards a murder-suicide. It was determined that Mark McDade had shot and killed his wife before taking his own life. Autopsies later confirmed that Leanne McDade's death was a homicide, and her husband's was a suicide. This devastating event is believed to have occurred on a Wednesday evening, with the couple being found the following Thursday morning.
Those who knew the couple were stunned by the news, describing them as a quiet pair. Neighbors reported never hearing any arguments or seeing any signs of trouble between them. However, reports from law enforcement indicated that Leanne had recently started moving out of the home they shared and that there may have been domestic issues within their 19-year marriage. This revelation painted a somber picture of the private struggles that can remain hidden behind closed doors. The investigation into the specifics of any animosity between the couple continued, but the primary conclusion remained that this was a tragic murder-suicide.
