A man who apparently fatally shot his estranged wife at a Thurston County residence Saturday and then turned the gun on himself was in the midst of a divorce, but there was no history of domestic violence between the couple, court papers state.
Sheriff’s investigators think that Paul Lindblad, 39, shot his 31-year-old wife, Laura Lindblad, at a residence in the 8000 block of Kerbaugh Road Northeast, and then fatally shot himself in the head. On Monday, Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock confirmed that preliminary investigation shows that Laura Lindblad was a homicide victim and that Paul Lindblad’s manner of death was suicide.
Thurston County sheriff’s Lt. Greg Elwin confirmed Monday that the couple’s 8-year-old daughter discovered the couple after someone heard gunshots at the residence. There were no witnesses, he said.
Laura Lindblad was at the Kerbaugh Road residence Saturday to drop off the couple’s two children for a visitation. In addition to the 8-year-old daughter, the couple had a 5-year-old son, court papers state. Both are staying with their paternal grandparents, Elwin said.
Laura Lindblad filed for divorce in September 2011, court papers state. In her petition, she stated: “This marriage is irretrievably broken.” She did not ask for a protection order, and Thurston County court records show no history of domestic violence between the couple.
In Paul Lindblad’s January 2012 response to Laura Lindblad’s petition, he contested her proposed division of property. He also stated that he “quit his job to be a stay-at-home parent and is having trouble returning to the work force,” according to his response. “Additionally, respondent used significant separate assets to support the family and the wife while she was seeking a CNA, and an LPN and an RN.”
In late May, the couple’s custody and visitation disputes for the two children was transferred to Family Court mediation. Their divorce attorneys could not be reached for comment Monday.
jpawloski@theolympian.com
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