A murder-suicide Sunday night in Palatine stemmed from an argument about who was taking the family pet, Palatine police said.
Crime scene investigators responded to a domestic disturbance around 8:30 p.m. Sunday at 49-year-old Edward Kuemper's home at 1540 E. Reynolds Dr.
There, they found Kuemper had shot and killed his daughter's boyfriend, 21-year-old Bradley Morrison of 4013 Bonhill Dr. in Arlington Heights, before turning the gun on himself.
It all happened on the front porch after Kuemper's estranged wife showed up with their daughter and Morrison to get the family dog, which Kuemper refused to give up, according to police reports. The incident escalated, and Kuemper and Morrison got into a fight.
Kuemper then shot Morrison twice as he tried to leave the house. Shortly after Kuemper shot himself.
Neighbors were shocked about how the situation ended.
"They were a good family, we went to the same church," said Bob Waldmann. "There was never any sense of aggression. [Kuemper] never said anything remotely considered negative about anyone."
Tavio Dunlap, a friend of Morrison, said he didn't understand how it could have happened.
"He was a really good young man," Dunlap said. "What did the father have against him? That’s terrible."
