‘Gunfire in my house’

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A complete investigation into the apparent murder-suicide deaths of a husband and wife in Galena Wednesday night will take months, authorities said Thursday.

However, investigators say they have already determined that David Lee Rings, 42, shot his wife, Teresa Rings, also 42, at their 6448 Falling Meadows Drive home Wednesday evening.

Police dispatchers received a call Wednesday at 6:44 p.m. about gun shots at the Falling Meadows Drive home, a spokeswoman for the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office said.

“There was gunfire in my house,” Chase Lee, 18, told a dispatcher in the call. “Multiple shots, and I think people are dead.”

Lee is Teresa Rings’ son and David Rings’ stepson.

A friend of David Rings was visiting the family and he said David and Teresa began to argue, according to Tracy Whited, head of community and media relations at the sheriff’s office. Lee and the family friend stepped outside onto the front lawn where they talked until they heard gun shots.

Whited said it is unknown what the argument was about.

Sheriff’s detectives say Rings shot his wife several times and then shot himself. Detectives have not said what type of firearm was used or described the nature of the wounds.

Whited said that when Lee and the friend heard the gun shots, the friend went into the house, saw what had happened and told Lee to call 911.

Officials say both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

The friend’s name has not been disclosed by investigators.

Lee was reportedly picked up at the shooting scene by his father Wednesday night after he had been interviewed by investigators. James Meacham, the sheriff’s office chaplain, also spoke to Lee after the shooting, deputies said.

Deputies said they could not say if alcohol or drugs were factors in the shooting until they receive lab results. Whited said deputies and investigators from BCI were collecting evidence overnight Wednesday.

Deputies said that the investigation is being conducted by the sheriff’s office in conjunction with investigators from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio’s official crime lab.

Whited said that complete autopsies, evidence analysis and lab work will likely keep the investigation open for months.

Whited said the family had lived in the house for less than a year and deputies had never received any complaints from the neighbors about the family’s behavior.

Neighbors declined to comment Thursday morning.

Following the initial 911 call, several deputies from the sheriff’s office were dispatched to the scene, along with an officer from the Genoa Township Police Department and an officer from Ohio Department of Natural Resources, who happened to be in the area at the time, Whited said. Medical units from BSTG Fire Department and Delaware EMS responded to the call as well, she said.

The scene of the shooting located at 6448 Meadow Falls Dr. in Galena.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/web1_DSC_0416.jpgThe scene of the shooting located at 6448 Meadow Falls Dr. in Galena.
Galena couple dead in murder-suicide, police say

By Glenn Battishill

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Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.

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