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Last updated on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
(MIDDLETOWN) - A home at the 6400 block of North County Road 200 West near Middletown became a crime scene in an apparent double murder and suicide early Tuesday morning.
Indiana State Police public information officer Sgt. John Bowling explained the scenario in Henry County.
About 1:30 a.m. after a 911 call, the Henry County Sheriff's Department went to the home where they discovered two people dead from apparent gunshot wounds - 38-year-old Ruth Webb, who lived at the home, and 42-year-old Robert Morrow, of Markleville.
Investigators said they found a large amount of alcohol and clear signs of a violent struggle inside the home.
Just after 7:30 a.m., a passer-by discovered a white van in the area of County Roads 850 North and 300 West, about three miles away from Ruth Webb's home, and called 911. Police found the body of 39-year-old Johnny Webb, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside that van. Webb was Ruth's ex-husband.
James Morrow told police his cousin, Johnny Webb, had a tendency to be violent and was not surprised to learn of the deadly confrontation between Morrow and Johnny Webb.
Police say Johnny Webb went to his ex-wife's home where he Ruth and Morrow and then took his own life a short time later.
Ruth Webb had filed for divorce from Johnny in January. The divorce was final in April. She was awarded custody of the couple's 14-year-old daughter Jade, according to court documents.
Police say there was no history of domestic violence between the couple, but police did say Ruth was dating Morrow at the time of the shooting.
Robert Morrow's cousin, Joel Morrow Jr., said Robert had recently separated from his wife, Dawn, with whom he had three children.
Johnny Webb had lived in an Anderson apartment for a year until about two weeks ago, according to apartment manager Ed Ferree.
Webb left the manager a note saying he would no longer be able to pay rent at the apartment in the 1900 block of East Fifth Street, Ferree said. He told Ferree to keep the security deposit. Ferree also told police that Webb had just recently purchased a gun.
Henry County detectives are still conducting interviews to learn more about what lead up to the violent confrontation Tuesday morning. Initial information points to two men fighting over the same woman, with alcohol possibly helping to escalate the situation.
Autopsies on all three bodies are scheduled to be conducted Wednesday in Indianapolis.
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