In the quiet community of Chattaroy, Washington, a tragedy unfolded on October 8, 2019, claiming the life of 71-year-old Susan Bishop. A woman who was anticipating a trip to Virginia to visit her brother that very morning, her plans were irrevocably cut short. It was her own son who would make the devastating discovery at his parents' home, a discovery that would point to a grim and unforeseen conclusion.
The Spokane County Sheriff's Office responded to a call of a suspicious death, and
what they found was a scene of profound loss. Susan E. Bishop had died from a gunshot wound to the head. The Spokane County Medical Examiner would later rule her death a homicide. Alongside her was her husband, 72-year-old Scott G. Bishop, who had also sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. His death was determined to be a suicide.
According to their son, his father had been struggling with dementia and had become increasingly paranoid after he had stopped taking his medication earlier that summer. He told authorities that there had been no recent fights or threats between his parents, leaving the sudden violence all the more shocking. The investigation into the deaths of Susan and Scott Bishop pointed to a murder-suicide, with no other suspects sought in the case. No arrests were made as the sole suspect was deceased. The incident, therefore, closed a painful chapter for the family, leaving behind questions and the sorrowful reality of a life taken too soon.
