Police identify two killed in Alliance murder-suicide after suspect dies in hospital

ALLIANCE, Neb. (KNOP) - Police identified the two people killed in Thursday’s murder-suicide in western Nebraska after the suspect died at a hospital.

According to the Alliance Police Department, 73-year-old Douglas Stinnette shot and killed his wife, 65-year-old Melody Stinnette, before shooting and killing himself.

Alliance dispatchers received a 911 call in regards to the shooting at 11:10 a.m. near Big Horn Avenue and West Seventh Street.

Alliance police officers and the Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office arrived minutes later. They found Melody dead outside the home and Douglas suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.

Douglas Stinnette was taken to Box Butte General Hospital with life-threatening injuries before being flown to a Scottsbluff hospital, where he later died. APD said an autopsy has been ordered for Douglas Stinnette.

The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unclear, but authorities said the case has been closed following Douglas’ death.