Authorities identify victims in Rancho Mirage murder-suicide
The Riverside County Coroner's office have identified both the suspect and the victim of a murder-suicide that took place in Rancho Mirage over the weekend.
According to a release on Wednesday, the suspect has been named as 61 year-old Carl Ashcroft of Simi Valley. Kathryn Ashcroft, 55, has been identified as the victim.
Deputies with the Palm Desert Sheriff's station responded at 2:15 p.m. Sunday to a residence on Lyon Street, Rancho Mirage, according to Sgt. Mike Kelleher of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Upon arrival, they found a man and woman with gunshot wounds.
The man, now identified as Carl Ashcroft, succumbed to his injuries at the scene and the woman was taken to a hospital, where she subsequently succumbed to her injuries, Kelleher said.
The case is being investigated as a murder-suicide, he said.
"There are no outstanding suspects and there is no threat to the community,'' Kelleher wrote in a statement. "The investigation is currently ongoing and no further information will be released at this time."
Anyone with additional information was asked to call Central Homicide Unit Master Investigator Navarrete at 951-955-2777 or Investigator Evans with the Palm Desert Sheriff's station at 760-836-1600.
