On a Saturday morning, September 30, 2023, the quiet of a neighborhood in the 1900 block of Washington Street in Albany, Oregon, was shattered. Police had been called to the residence for a welfare check at approximately 9:30 am. As they arrived, the sounds of a disturbance and what they suspected to be gunshots emanated from within the home, prompting their immediate entry.
Inside, they discovered a tragic scene.
A 63-year-old White / Caucasian woman, Pauline Golliher, was found critically injured. Alongside her was 75-year-old Mark Brooner, who was deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. Officers attempted to perform life-saving measures on Golliher, but her injuries were too severe, and she died at the scene.
The preliminary investigation into the deaths of Pauline Golliher and Mark Brooner led authorities to believe it was a murder-suicide. It is believed that Brooner, who was Golliher's longtime boyfriend, fatally shot her before turning the gun on himself. No other individuals were found inside the residence, and investigators determined there was no ongoing threat to the community. As the primary suspect was also deceased, no arrests were made in connection with Golliher's death. The Albany Police Department, in collaboration with the Linn County District Attorney's Office and the Linn County Medical Examiner's Office, continued to investigate the incident.
