Shirley Waclawski, a 73-year-old woman from Nottingham, Maryland, died on April 24, 2026, after what police described as a domestic-related shooting inside a home in the 9000 block of Tammy Road in the Perry Hall/Nottingham area of Baltimore County. Officers were called to the residence around 10:15 a.m. for a reported shooting, and when they entered the home, they found Shirley and her husband, Paul Waclawski, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
Baltimore County paramedics pronounced both of them dead at the scene.
The case began unfolding moments before police arrived, when Paul Waclawski reportedly called 911 and told authorities that he had shot his wife. The call disconnected, and officers responded to the home soon afterward. Inside, they found both Shirley and Paul deceased. Police later said the preliminary investigation indicated the incident appeared to be a murder-suicide, with Paul identified as the suspected shooter.
Shirley’s death was treated as part of a homicide investigation, while Paul’s death was investigated as the apparent suicide that followed. Both bodies were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where autopsies were expected to determine the official cause and manner of death. Authorities said the shooting appeared to be isolated and that there was no ongoing threat to the community.
No arrests were made because the suspected perpetrator, Paul Waclawski, was found dead at the scene. Police did not announce any additional suspects, and available reports did not indicate that anyone else was believed to have been involved. The public details released by investigators centered on the 911 call, the discovery of the couple inside the home, and the determination that the deaths were domestic-related.
Neighbors described the couple as kind and said the tragedy was shocking and difficult to understand. One neighbor said Shirley and Paul seemed like people who loved each other and were known as gentle, pleasant residents, making the violence inside the home feel especially unexpected to those nearby. Police continued gathering evidence after the scene was secured, but the case was publicly described as an apparent murder-suicide rather than a search for an outside suspect.
