A Pennsylvania couple is dead after a man reportedly shot his wife to death, then turned the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide on Tuesday.
The Morning Call reports that Matthew Eberhardt, 45, allegedly shot and killed his wife, 42-year-old Kristin, while inside their Northampton home off of W 27th St. They had just celebrated their daughter’s 5th birthday three days prior, and the tragedy shocked the neighborhood, where neighbors described them as “nice” and “quiet.”
Northampton County authorities stated that they responded to a call regarding a domestic issue and shots fired at the couple’s home. When they arrived, they noted Matthew Eberhardt shot his wife while she stood on their doorstep of their home before killing himself. The county coroner said Kristin died after being shot multiple times, while her husband died from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
So far, the motive behind the killings remain unclear. Detectives are still actively investigating.
Along with their daughter, the couple also had a toddler son. Both children were placed in the care of relatives.
According to Lehighvalleylive, Kristin Eberhardt was a “hardworking employee” at the Porzio Life Sciences LLC, in New Jersey. The firm’s managing partner, Vito A. Gagliardi Jr., told the outlet that Kristin was outgoing, driven, and friendly. She worked as a senior regulatory analyst and took care of the “transparency and limitations database.”
“She was a very dedicated, wonderful young woman.”
Kristin gave birth to both children while employed at the company, and over the years, brought her kids to the office on many occasions.
“As you can imagine, it’s been a very sad day,” Gagliardi said on Wednesday. “At just about every level, she’s going to be missed. Passing on the information to people today was very difficult….Our heart breaks for the family, but particularly for those two children.”
The story is still developing. Check back with CrimeOnline as additional information becomes available.
[Feature Photo: Matthew Eberhardt and Kristin Eberhardt/Twitter]
