In a quiet home in Lakeview Township, just outside Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, a love story came to a tragic end on September 27, 2022. Stacy Lynn Stearns, a 49-year-old Caucasian woman, was found dead in her residence alongside her 45-year-old husband, Steven Stearns. The couple, who had recently celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary, died in what the Becker County Sheriff's Office later confirmed to be a murder-suicide.
Deputies were dispatched to the home on County Highway 6 after
receiving a 911 call. Inside, they discovered the bodies of Stacy and Steven, as well as their two deceased dogs. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office determined that Stacy's death was a homicide, and Steven's was a suicide. The investigation revealed that Steven Stearns shot his wife before taking his own life. As he was the sole suspect, no arrests were made.
The motive behind the devastating act appeared to be a shared despair over battling terminal illnesses. Friends of the couple revealed that both Stacy and Steven were suffering from cancer. Stacy had been diagnosed with stomach cancer, while Steven was battling a form of lung cancer that was reportedly untreatable. Close friends indicated that the couple had a long-standing pact to "go together" if their health deteriorated, as they did not want to endure chemotherapy or live without one another.
Just before their deaths, a final message was posted on the couple's joint Facebook account, expressing their love for each other and their sorrow for the pain their actions would cause loved ones. The post read, "To our loved ones. We chose to leave this world as we lived in it. In love and together. Our only regret is the sorrow to our loved ones. Remember the laughter and happiness We love you. Goodbye." Friends said that a recent and rapid decline in Steven's health had prompted them to move forward with their plan.
