In a quiet neighborhood in Kent, Washington, on the evening of May 12, 2026, a tragedy unfolded that left a family shattered. Michael Lee Dubuc, a 69-year-old man, was found deceased in his West Hill home from a gunshot wound to the head and neck. The circumstances of his death pointed not to a random act of violence, but to a devastating domestic dispute that ended in the worst possible way.
The incident, which took place in the 27100 block of 31st Avenue South near Star Lake, was determined by authorities to be a murder-suicide.
Responding to a call at approximately 9:27 p.m., Kent Police officers discovered two men with fatal gunshot wounds inside the residence. An initial witness report indicated that the son had shot his father before taking his own life. The other deceased individual was identified as Michael's 48-year-old son, Donald Lee Dubuc, who also resided at the home. The King County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that Michael Lee Dubuc's death was a homicide, while his son's death was ruled a suicide from gunshot wounds to the head.
The investigation by Kent Police detectives revealed no other suspects in the death of Michael Lee Dubuc. With the sole suspect deceased, the case concluded without arrests, charges, or a trial. The motive behind the tragic event remains unclear, leaving a community to mourn the loss of a father at the hands of his own son. The case stands as a grim reminder of the destructive potential of domestic violence, a final, violent chapter in the lives of Michael and Donald Dubuc.
