In a quiet neighborhood on the northeast side of Fort Wayne, Indiana, a loving couple who had been married for 51 years were found deceased in their home on Albert Drive on Saturday, October 2, 2021. Janet Joyce Peters, a 71-year-old white female, and her husband, Richard Allen Peters, 75, were discovered by police who were conducting a welfare check after concerned family members and neighbors had not seen or heard from them for several days.
Janet, born on January 31, 1950, in
Paulding, Ohio, was known as a kind and devoted caregiver. She was a dedicated member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, where she volunteered for multiple causes. She had retired from Hancock Fabrics and was a lifetime blood donor. Janet was a creative individual who enjoyed making thousands of Christmas ornaments for family and friends, a tradition she started in 1976. She was also an active, founding member of the Bakers Dozen Home Economic Club for 43 years and in her spare time, she found joy in gardening, butterflies, and flower arranging.
The tranquil life of the Peters couple came to a tragic end in what the Allen County Coroner's Office later ruled a murder-suicide. The coroner determined that Janet Peters' cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, and her manner of death was a homicide. Her death was recorded as the 31st homicide in Allen County for 2021.
Her husband, Richard Allen Peters, also died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his manner of death was ruled a suicide. The investigation into their deaths was conducted by the Fort Wayne Police Department and the Allen County Coroner's Office. Richard, a U.S. Air Force veteran, had retired from GTE/Verizon in 2010 after a 41-year career as a communication technician. He was remembered for his light-hearted nature and enjoyed visiting military sites and attending air shows.
