By Neil Ochs ~ Great Bend Post

Two people are dead after a homicide-sucide that happened at 8:30 Tuesday Night at the 1600 block of NE 20 Avenue, located north of Hoisington.

According to the Barton County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Officers were called to the rural location by a juvenile resident who was hiding in a closet, and stated shots had been fired during a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival at the single farm residence, officers discovered the bodies of two persons, while the juvenile was unharmed.

Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir says that the deceased were identified as 35-year-old Justin Heggemeier and 39-year-old Michelle Heggemeier, who were both pronounced dead at the scene by the Barton County Coroner’s Office. Both individuals lived at the rural location, and preliminary investigation indicates that the female was shot at close range, and the male died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Hoisington EMS assisted the Sheriff’s Office at the scene, and the incident is still under investigation.