On a tragic evening in Ottumwa, Iowa, the life of 46-year-old Deborah Sue Gardner came to a sudden and violent end. On June 3, 2010, police responded to a distress call at 11:24 p.m. reporting a shooting at her residence at 936 Ingersoll Street. Upon their arrival, they discovered a grim scene where both Deborah and her 47-year-old husband, William Olen Gardner, were found deceased.
The investigation that followed painted a harrowing picture of the night's events. It was determined that William Gardner had shot his wife, Deborah, before leaving the house. In a state of turmoil, he sought out a friend and brought them back to the home, confessing to what he had done. It was this friend who then had his wife contact the authorities, waiting in the driveway for their arrival. While the friend alerted the police, William went into the backyard and took his own life.
The community and law enforcement were left stunned by the incident, as there had been no prior indications of trouble at the Gardner's home. The Ottumwa Police Chief, Jim Clark, confirmed that his department had no record of any previous calls or disturbances related to the couple. The investigation concluded that the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide, with William Olen Gardner as the sole suspect in his wife's death. Autopsies were scheduled to be performed on both individuals to confirm the details of the tragic event.
