BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Police are investigating after a man and woman were shot to death late Saturday night.
At 11:15 p.m. Saturday, the Big Rapids Police Department responded to a report of shots being fired in the 1100 block of Catherine Street. Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered a dead woman inside the residence along with several children who were unharmed. Officers then found a dead man outside the residence.
Police identified the victims as Samantha Houghton, 33, and Matthew Ottobre, 35, both from Big Rapids.
The investigation revealed that the two lived together and had children in common. They appear to have gotten into an argument followed by Ottobre shooting Houghton and then himself.
The children were released to relatives.
Big Rapids Police were assisted at the scene by the Big Rapids Fire Department, the Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office, the Michigan State Police Crime Lab, Mecosta County Emergency Medical Services, Meceola Central Dispatch, the Mecosta County Medical Examiner's Office, Mecosta County Victims Services and the Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office Posse.
The incident remains under investigation by the Big Rapids Police Department.
