On a summer day in Portage, Indiana, a domestic dispute escalated into a tragic and fatal event. Maria Contreras, a 45-year-old woman, was fatally shot in her home in the 6200 block of Sandalwood Avenue. The incident, which occurred on August 12, 2015, also involved her husband, who authorities identified as the suspect in her death.
That afternoon, Portage police were dispatched to the family's residence following a 911 call from their 18-year-old son, who reported that his father had
shot his mother. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Maria Contreras in an upstairs bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head. Her husband was found next to her, also with a gunshot wound to the head, which was believed to be self-inflicted. A handgun was recovered at the scene.
Both Maria Contreras and her husband were initially transported to a local hospital before being airlifted to a trauma center in Chicago. Maria Contreras was pronounced dead that evening. Her husband remained in critical condition for a time before he also succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the incident concluded that it was a murder-suicide. Authorities determined that the husband shot his wife before turning the gun on himself. As the sole suspect in the murder died, the case was closed. The couple also had a daughter who was away at college at the time of the incident.
