On a summer day in Rochester, Minnesota, a tragic event unfolded within the walls of a family home, leaving a father and son dead. Sixty-one-year-old Gary Raymond Pearson, a Caucasian male, died on July 15, 2019, in what authorities would later describe as a murder-suicide. The discovery was made in the late afternoon, around 4 p.m., at their residence in the 1500 block of 8th Avenue Northwest.
The grim scene was first encountered by Gary Pearson's wife when she returned home.
She found her 18-year-old son, Maxwell Pearson, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. When police officers arrived, they found the woman attempting to perform CPR on her son. Despite their life-saving efforts, the young man was pronounced dead at the scene. A further search of the home led to the discovery of Gary Pearson's body in another area of the house. He too had sustained a fatal gunshot wound.
In the aftermath of the tragic event, the Rochester Police Department launched an investigation. The authorities concluded that the incident was a murder-suicide. Investigators determined that Gary Pearson was the perpetrator, having taken the life of his son before ending his own. As the primary suspect was deceased, no arrests were made, and no further suspects were sought in connection with the deaths. The motive for this devastating act remains unclear. The investigation concluded that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
