Chester deaths ruled murder- suicide

The superintendent of Chester-Joplin-Inverness shot his estranged wife before turning the .357 caliber pistol he used on himself, the Liberty County sheriff said in a press release Thursday.

The deaths of Francis LaBounty, 47, and his wife, Tanya, 42, have been ruled a murder-suicide, Sheriff Doug Riggin said in the press release. Their bodies were found in Tanya LaBounty’s residence at 11:29 a.m. Tuesday, leading to a lockdown of the Chester schools.

The district informed the media and posted on its website a notice that it would not authorize media to interview or film staff and students dur...