In the early morning hours of July 7, 2014, the life of 41-year-old Delaina Tripp came to a tragic and violent end in what police have described as a murder-suicide. The incident unfolded in Royalton Township, a community in Berrien County, Michigan, where Tripp resided.
Authorities were dispatched to the 400 block of West John Beers Road near Stevensville at approximately 6:13 a.m. Upon their arrival, they discovered Delaina Tripp's body in the roadway.
The investigation determined that she had been shot by her husband, David Tripp, following an altercation that took place on the road. After shooting his wife, David Tripp fled to the rear of their home where he then died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Adding to the tragedy, investigators believe that after Delaina Tripp was shot and lay in the road, she was struck by a passing vehicle that did not stop at the scene. A neighbor reported hearing what sounded like two gunshots followed by the sound of a car hitting something. Police later appealed to the public for help in locating the driver of the vehicle, which was described as a 1998-2002 Honda Accord of an unknown color that would have sustained undercarriage damage.
Delaina, who was a mother and grandmother, was remembered by friends and family for her kind heart and gentle spirit. Her death left the community in shock and mourning the unforeseen and devastating circumstances that led to her passing.
