In the quiet town of Gunnison, Colorado, a grim discovery shattered the community's sense of peace. On an autumn evening, Wednesday, October 22, 2014, law enforcement responded to a report of shots fired at a residence on Tin Cup Drive. Inside the home, officers found the bodies of 30-year-old Michael King and 40-year-old Jennifer Lembke in the basement. Both were deceased, marking a tragic end to what had been a troubled relationship.
A third resident of the home was present at the time of the incident but was unharmed.
The investigation into the deaths of the male, Michael King, and Jennifer Lembke quickly pointed towards a murder-suicide, though authorities did not immediately determine who fired the shots. The Colorado Bureau of Investigations was called in to assist the Gunnison Police Department with the case, processing evidence and conducting a thorough investigation. Autopsies were scheduled to determine the exact cause of death for both individuals, with toxicology reports pending.
The history between King and Lembke revealed a pattern of domestic turmoil. Just a month prior to the fatal incident, police had responded to a domestic dispute at the same residence, which resulted in Lembke's arrest. A protection order had been put in place, but it was later canceled at King's request. At the time of their deaths, the domestic case from September was still pending in the court system, and Lembke had been due in court the very next day. King also had his own legal troubles, as he was a suspect in a theft case and was scheduled to appear in court on the same day Lembke was due. The investigation by the authorities was to continue as they awaited the final autopsy and toxicology results to piece together the final moments of Michael King and Jennifer Lembke's lives.
