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Police: 2 Deaths At Clairton Home Being Investigated As Apparent Murder-Suicide

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CLAIRTON (KDKA) – Allegheny County Police say they are investigating an apparent murder-suicide after two people were found dead inside a Clairton home Wednesday morning.

When they arrived, they found an unresponsive woman on the front porch and an unresponsive man just inside the front door. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the couple as 72-year-old Robert Lewis and his wife, 73-year-old Louise Lewis, lived in the home.

Police say both victims had gunshot wounds. Investigators say they believe the man fatally shot the woman, then turned the gun on himself.

In a press release, Allegheny County Police say: "There is no suspicion that any other parties were involved in the deaths and the investigation is being handled as a murder suicide."

Emergency responders also noticed a strong smell of natural gas at the scene, and found a small fire near the home's clothes dryer.

Tujwina O'Conner, a neighbor, says she was shoveling snow in her driveway when she heard a loud explosion come from the house across the street. Then, she saw flames coming from the basement window.

"Shocked. It startled me, it really did," said O'Conner. "I noticed the door was wide open, so when I finished shoveling, I said, 'Let me go check it out.' I was going to knock and make sure everything was okay. When I went to check, I noticed the lady lying on the ground underneath, like, the screen door that's when I called 911,"

The dryer fire was extinguished and the gas turned off.

Meanwhile, neighbors are in shock over the incident.

"I thought they were nice neighbors, friendly people. Had a garden… they always brought stuff out of the garden to us," said neighbor James Harvey of the couple.

Autopsies are set for Thursday on both victims.

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