Two people were found dead with gunshot wounds in a crashed vehicle in a parking lot near Geddes Avenue and Havana Street on Nov. 15 in the central Centennial area, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office believes that it was a murder-suicide, Deputy John Bartmann, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said on Nov. 22.
The two people — a woman and man, both from Castle Rock — were married, and the sheriff’s office believes it was a “domestic-related” incident, Bartmann said.
The wife, Tricia Sue Westfall, 46, died of multiple gunshot wounds, and her death is classified as a homicide, according to the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office. The husband, Galen Wade Westfall, 57, died of a gunshot wound of the head, and his death is classified as a suicide, according to the coroner’s office.
Deputies responded at about 3:30 p.m. Nov. 15 to the auto accident and found the man and woman in the vehicle, according to Bartmann. The location is just east of where Dry Creek Road curves northward and becomes Havana Street.
The vehicle was traveling eastbound on Geddes Avenue, jumped the curb and hit a parked vehicle in the parking lot at 10700 E. Geddes Ave. and came to rest a short distance past that, Bartmann said. No one was hurt in the crash other than the occupants of the vehicle that went off the road, according to Bartmann.
As of that evening, deputies believed the gunshots happened while the vehicle was on the road, Bartmann said.
The vehicle was owned by the couple, and authorities found a gun in the car, Bartmann said.
The husband was the driver, and it was unclear whether he shot himself prior to the crash or after, Bartmann said on Nov. 22.
“We believe it’s an isolated incident, and we do not believe there’s any danger to the surrounding area,” Bartmann said.
Police activity closed eastbound Geddes Avenue between Iola and Joliet streets the evening of Nov. 15.
Anyone who was in the area of Easter Avenue, Havana Street and Geddes Avenue around the middle of the afternoon Nov. 15 who has information about the incident should call the sheriff’s office, Bartmann said. The office’s non-emergency number is 303-795-4711.