On a quiet Sunday evening in the summer of 2014, the lives of a Newburgh, Indiana couple came to a tragic end in what authorities would investigate as a murder-suicide. Carolyn McDonald, a 71-year-old female, and her 70-year-old husband, William 'Mac' McDonald, were both found deceased in their home on August 24, 2014.
Carolyn was known in her community as a creative and caring individual.
She had a passion for art and antiques and shared her love for the arts by teaching children's art classes. Many of her own works were displayed at the local library. She was also a substitute teacher in the Evansville area, known for her kind heart and her love for children. Her husband, William, was a retiree from Whirlpool, where he had a long and successful career as an engineer and manager, even earning several patents. He was a loving father and grandfather who enjoyed playing poker with his friends and grandchildren.
The circumstances of their deaths unfolded when the Warrick County Sheriff's Department was called to their home. Inside, they discovered William McDonald deceased in the garage. Carolyn was found wounded and, despite efforts to save her, she died a short time later. From the outset of the investigation, authorities suspected the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide.
Investigators with the Warrick County Sheriff's Department processed the scene and conducted a thorough investigation into the tragic events that transpired. While the initial reports pointed towards a murder-suicide, the official findings and the specific details of what led to the deaths of Carolyn and William McDonald were part of the ensuing investigation. There were no indications of outside involvement, leading authorities to believe it was a domestic incident confined to the couple's home. The case did not lead to any arrests or the identification of any outside suspects, as the investigation concluded that the deaths were a result of the incident within the home.
