Ravalli County Sheriff Chris Hoffman has released the names of the two individuals who were killed in what is being termed a domestic violence related murder-suicide near Darby.

Hoffman said on Wednesday, January 8, that the incident occurred at a Lake Como residence northwest of Darby last Sunday night or early Monday morning.

"Our victim has been identified as Holly N. Schick-Lewis, 50, and she had been shot multiple times," Hoffman said. "Our suspect is a south valley resident, Michael Charles Buckles, 53, and he died as the result of self-inflicted gunshot injuries, which appeared to have occurred very shortly after Schick-Lewis was killed."

Hoffman described how the murder-suicide was discovered.

"We got this call early Monday afternoon," Hoffman said. "A visitor to the home found Ms. Schick-Lewis' body in the kitchen of the home and immediately called 9-1-1. When deputies arrived, they found Buckles dead in an adjacent bedroom."

Hoffman said there had been a history of domestic violence between Buckles and Schick-Lewis.

"There had been domestic violence issues in the home, or in one of the homes where the couple had resided in the past, and both the victim and the suspect were known to the sheriff's office."

Ravalli County Sheriff Chris Hoffman

 

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