On the evening of January 7, 2016, the life of Justin Lowrie, a 32-year-old White/Caucasian male from Rice Lake, Wisconsin, was tragically cut short in a downtown apartment. Known for his free-spirited nature and love for the outdoors, Justin was a man who put others before himself and was actively involved in his church community. He was a hunter and fisherman, a beloved son, brother, and uncle who was described as a child at heart.
That Thursday night, the sound of gunshots and screaming shattered the peace of the neighborhood, prompting a 911 call to the Rice Lake Police Department. Upon their arrival at the apartment building, officers made a grim discovery. Inside one of the units, they found the bodies of Justin Lowrie and a 37-year-old woman named Cheri Fullarton. Both had sustained fatal gunshot wounds, and a handgun was recovered at the scene.
The initial shock of the two deaths gave way to a thorough investigation by law enforcement. As detectives pieced together the evidence and conducted interviews, a narrative of the tragic events began to form. The investigation ultimately concluded that the incident was a murder-suicide. Authorities determined that Cheri Fullarton had shot and killed Justin Lowrie before turning the gun on herself.
In the wake of this devastating event, no arrests were made, as the individual responsible for Justin's death was also deceased. The case was subsequently closed, leaving a community to mourn the loss of two lives. The incident was a jarring anomaly for Rice Lake, a city that had not experienced a murder in over a decade. Memorial services were held to honor Justin's life, remembering him as a man of faith who encouraged others and had a tendency to brighten the lives of those around him.
