In the quiet town of Mount Angel, Oregon, a tragedy unfolded on November 27, 2022, ending the life of 71-year-old Virginia Rae Ewing. On that evening, at approximately 5:58 p.m., police responded to a report of a suicide attempt at a residence on St. Mary's Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered the bodies of Virginia and her husband, Thomas Esson Ewing, 77. Both had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
The subsequent investigation, a collaborative effort between the Mt.
Angel Police Department, Keizer Police Department, the Marion County District Attorney's Office, and the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office, determined the incident to be a murder-suicide. An autopsy confirmed that Virginia Ewing's death was a homicide, and Thomas Ewing's death was a suicide. Authorities identified Thomas Ewing as the shooter, and with no ongoing threat to the public, the investigation concluded without a search for additional suspects. No further details regarding a motive have been released by law enforcement officials.
The couple had moved to Mount Angel in 2019 and were known within the community. Thomas Ewing was a former chief administrative law judge for the state of Oregon and a one-time board member of the Mt. Angel Chamber of Commerce. Friends and community members mourned the couple's passing, remembering them for their involvement in local affairs. The Ewings are survived by their three sons.
