A man and woman in their 40s were found shot dead in their car in a field outside central Israel’s Mishmar Ayalon community on Friday, in what police suspect was a murder-suicide, first responders said.
Three people have been arrested near the scene of the shooting on suspicion of having taken the gun that was used, which was yet to be found, according to a police source cited by Haaretz.
The couple had informed relatives in the morning that they were going hiking, without specifying where, police said. The family later reported the couple missing after the two failed to answer multiple phone calls throughout the day.
Police then geo-located the couple’s phones, pinpointing their location to an open area outside the Mishmar Ayalon community in the Gezer Regional Council. Medics who arrived there pronounced the couple dead on the scene.
Police said the family described the couple as having no history of mental health issues.
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An initial investigation found the man had a gun license, according to police. The Haaretz police source said the man had the license because he worked as a security guard, but that the gun he was licensed to use was found locked in a safe in the couple’s home.
The source said police suspect the man had a different gun with him in the car, and do not believe the incident was a double homicide.
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