Police reports show a man in Ohio texted his three sons to remove them from their home before he entered and killed his wife and took his own life.
The bodies of Stephen Bice, 53 and his wife Kristi Bice, 42, were found at their Hudson home in the 7000 block of Ravenna Road Saturday at noon, according to police reports provided to NBC Chicago. Both had suffered gunshot wounds.
Before the tragedy, Bice texted his 18, 16 and 14-year-old sons to meet at a Fun-N-Stuff amusement park in Macedonia to discuss problems within the family, the police reports showed. The boys debated not leaving their mother Kristi alone because their father had previously threatened to kill her, the boys’ uncle – who happens to be a detective at the Akron Police Department – told the publication.
Kristi texted her adult daughter that she was suspicious of her husband’s plan.
"Boys get there and he isn't there," Kristi texted, according to the reports. "I hope he isn't planning on getting them out of the house so he can blow me up."
Stephen broke into the home with a 9-millimeter semiautomatic handgun, according to the police reports. He shot Kristi four times: once in the left thigh, once in the right leg and once in the stomach. Finally, he shot her once in the head close range.
As he stood over her, he used his final bullet to shoot himself, according to the reports.
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The couple's sons drove up to the scene alerted police to the crime, the reports showed. A GoFundMe has been started for them.
"By continuing to tell Kristi's story we are raising awareness about the tragedy that is domestic violence, and most importantly continuing to raise money for these kids," the GoFundMe reads.
"She was a wonderful mother to her boys and would do anything for them. I truly believe the only reason she stayed in the abusive relationship for so long is she truly believe his threats that he was going to kill her and her boys," Krista's brother Ron Kennedy told NBC Chicago. "She did her best to protect them and when she was strong enough to take a leap of faith and ask for help to take her life back he acted on his threats."