The Tucson, Arizona, police department has officially closed its investigation into the Richard Posner murder-suicide. On March 12th, 2011, Posner was found dead of a gunshot in his apartment after police went to his home to check on the welfare of its residents. Sergeant Judy Allen of the Tucson Police Department’s Homicide Detail told the GLASS Quarterly Hot Sheet that the previously unidentified woman found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot has since been identified as Posner’s girlfriend, Sabine Schulte.
“It was an apparent murder-suicide,” said Sergeant Allen in a telephone interview with the Hot Sheet. “She shot him and then turned the gun on herself.”
The Tucson police are classifying this as a murder-suicide because there was no note indicating that there may have been a suicide pact. “Posner is considered a homicide victim, and the suspect in his murder committed suicide,” said Sergeant Allen. “This is considered a closed case.”
Police discovered the bodies in response to a missing persons report that had been filed for Schulte, according to the police sergeant. “Someone had not heard from her,” she said. “The police were asked to check into the welfare of those at that residence.”
For more about Posner’s life and career, see this In Memoriam article that appeared on the GLASS Quarterly Hot Sheet last week that generated numerous comments from friends sharing their grief at the news.