In a quiet home on Aster Avenue in Yucca Valley, California, a sad event unfolded on Friday, June 26, 2026, leading to the deaths of Lari Doughty, 82, and John Wayne Doughty, also 82. The discovery was made after the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department was called to the residence for a welfare check at approximately 12:30 p.m. Responding deputies, upon their arrival, conducted an initial check of the property's exterior.
It was during this check that they peered through a window and observed the two residents, motionless inside the home.
Upon entering the residence, deputies confirmed that both Lari and John Doughty were deceased, having sustained what appeared to be fatal gunshot wounds. A firearm was discovered in John Doughty's hand at the scene. The investigation was subsequently taken over by the Sheriff's Specialized Investigations Division - Homicide Detail. Their initial findings pointed towards a tragic and deliberate sequence of events.
Detectives concluded that John Doughty shot Lari Doughty before taking his own life. The incident has been characterized by authorities as an apparent "joint suicide pact." While the investigation remains ongoing, this initial determination suggests a mutual decision between the elderly couple. Authorities have not released further details regarding the circumstances or a possible motive that may have led to this conclusion. The case, as it stands, is being investigated as a murder-suicide, with no outstanding suspects. The motive behind the apparent pact has not been publicly disclosed.
