Sgt. Mike Morshed of the Lake County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wednesday that detectives are investigating a case in which it appears that a man killed his wife and then himself.

The couples' daughter called 911 at 1:44 a.m. Tuesday requesting a welfare check after receiving a strange phone call from her father, Morshed said.

Deputies were dispatched to the Ellen Springs Court residence, Morshed said, where they found both the 64-year-old man, Ralph Opitz, and his 78-year-old wife, Eillen Opitz, dead from gunshot wounds.

Eillen Opitz was found in a hospital bed in the residence's living room, dead from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Her husband was located next to the bed, also deceased, having a gunshot wound to the head as well.

“I sent all the detectives out and treated it as a homicide, which it obviously was,” said Morshed.

However, what led to Ralph Opitz man killing his wife before taking his own life doesn't appear to be a case of domestic violence, said Morshed. Rather, it may have been a mercy killing.

“Apparently, the wife had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer,” he said. “Basically, the husband, with her consent, killed her and then killed himself.”

Detectives found a note left at the scene which indicated the victim had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and was suffering in extreme pain. Evidence located at the scene and further investigation confirmed the victim was under Hospice supervision and was terminally ill. The note, apparently signed only by Ralph Opitz, indicated this action was a mutual decision between the two.

“There appears to be no other parties involved,” said Morshed.

Autopsies conducted Wednesday in Sonoma County confirmed each had died from a single gunshot wound.

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