In what should have been the sanctuary of their home, a Chesterfield, Virginia couple’s marital troubles culminated in a tragic and violent end. On the late evening of March 14, 2013, firefighters were called to a house fire on Castle Glen Court. Inside the burning two-story home, they made a grim discovery: the bodies of Walter M. Hester Jr., 50, and his wife, Clara M. Morgan-Hester, 46. The couple was found on different floors of the residence.
Investigators quickly determined that the fire was not the cause of their deaths. Evidence pointed to a violent confrontation that occurred before the blaze was set. It was concluded that Walter Hester Jr. shot his wife before setting multiple fires within their home. After starting the fires, he then turned the handgun on himself in a devastating murder-suicide. The weapon used, a semi-automatic pistol believed to belong to Hester, was recovered at the scene.
Family members revealed to police that the couple had been experiencing marital difficulties, and there had been discussions of one of them leaving. It is believed these issues prompted the tragic events. Despite the domestic turmoil, police found no documented history of domestic violence at their home. The couple had a teenage son who was not present at the time of the incident and was later placed in the care of relatives. As Walter Hester Jr. was identified as the sole perpetrator in the murder of his wife before taking his own life, there were no other suspects, and no arrests were made in the case.
