Authorities: Man killed ex-wife, self in Ashby murder-suicide
A 55-year-old Ashby man killed his ex-wife at his home before taking his own life, the Middlesex District Attorney’s office said Sunday in a statement.
Authorities discovered the bodies of John Griffin and 51-year-old Rebecca Griffin, of Fitchburg, Friday at his Watatic Mountain Road home. The two were previously married but divorced around 1990, according to the DA’s office.
Around 1:37 p.m. Friday, Ashby police responded to the home for a report of a death and found the two deceased on the front lawn.
Both Rebecca and John died of several sharp-force wounds, pointing to the use of a knife, authorities said. The investigation showed John inflicted sharp-force injuries to Rebecca, according to authorities. He then died from self-inflicted sharp-force wounds, the DA’s office said.
“This is a senseless and tragic crime,” District Attorney Marian Ryan said in the statement. “Rebecca Griffin would come to her ex husband’s home to assist him with day-to-day errands such as grocery shopping and bringing him to doctor’s appointments and sadly, she lost her life in the interest of helping him.”
State police and Ashby police are continuing to investigate the incident.
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