YORK COUNTY, Pennsylvania- A tragic murder-suicide incident unfolded on Wednesday, leaving two people dead. The victims have been identified as 29-year-old Megan Saunders and 31-year-old Devon Elias. The York County Coroner’s Office was summoned to the scene on Strawbridge Court around 2:47 p.m. following reports of a double fatality. Saunders was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds, and her death was officially ruled as a homicide. Elias, on the other hand, died from a single gunshot wound to the head. His death was classified as a suicide.
Saunders and Elias, who reportedly shared a child, were found in Saunders’ home. Elias had gained entry to the residence on Wednesday morning, shooting Saunders before remaining in the house for several hours. He eventually turned the gun on himself around 2:40 p.m. The coroner confirmed that no one else was present in the home at the time of the shooting.
The Northern York Regional Police, the investigating agency, has indicated that the incident appears to be domestic in nature. Officials have confirmed that no autopsies will be conducted. The standoff between police and Elias, which lasted for hours, ended fatally. Police initially received the report around 8:30 a.m., finding Elias barricaded inside the residence with Saunders.
Officers treated the situation as a hostage scenario, with Saunders being held captive. Despite the assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police and multiple other teams, officers were unable to extract Elias from the house for 4-5 hours. During this time, Elias made several threats to his own life and Saunders’. A gunshot was heard between 2:20 and 2:25 p.m., after which officers entered the house and found Saunders dead. Elias was found deceased on the third floor from a gunshot wound to the head. Police believe the gunshot heard earlier was Elias’ self-inflicted wound.
The incident has been officially classified as a murder-suicide. The York County Office of Emergency Management confirmed that a possible shooting was reported to 911 around 8:30 a.m.