In the summer of 2010, the quiet town of Hollis, Maine, was shaken by the tragic death of 44-year-old Freda Lagarde. A white female, Freda's life was cut short on July 20, 2010, in what was determined to be a murder-suicide. Her death was the eighth domestic violence homicide in Maine that year.
The grim discovery was made by Freda's adult daughter, who went to her mother's home at 13 Brook Drive after being unable to reach her by phone.
Inside, she found her mother and stepfather, 50-year-old Mike Lagarde, deceased in or near a back bedroom. Investigators believe the tragic events unfolded on Tuesday night.
Subsequent autopsies confirmed the devastating sequence of events. Freda Lagarde died from multiple gunshot wounds, while her husband, Mike Lagarde, died from a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. A 9-mm hunting rifle was recovered at the scene. State police detectives concluded that Mike Lagarde had shot his wife before turning the gun on himself.
Despite interviews with neighbors, family, and friends, investigators were unable to pinpoint a motive for the violence. No suicide note was left behind to offer any explanation for the horrific act. The incident left the community in shock and mourning the loss of a neighbor who was described as friendly and loved, particularly by the children who lived nearby.
