An Irishman suspected of shooting dead his wife before turning the gun on himself remained in a critical condition in a Florida hospital yesterday.
Dermot James Reid (52), originally from Finglas, Dublin, remained on a life-support machine after suffering an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. His wife, Stacey Plummer (43), was found dead in their $1.9 million (€1.5 million) home in Tierra Verde, St Petersburg, Florida, on Sunday morning.
A Pinellas County Sheriff's Office spokesman yesterday confirmed that Mr Reid was the only suspect in the case and that it was believed the incident resulted from "domestic-related issues".
Shortly after 9.30am local time on Sunday, police were sent to the couple's home after Ms Plummer's 12-year-old adopted daughter, Julia, came home from a relative's house to discover her mother's body and Mr Reid, who was injured. Detectives said Ms Plummer died of a gunshot wound to the head and that Mr Reid was transported to hospital with a life threatening injury. A .38 calibre gun was recovered near Mr Reid.
The couple married last December but Ms Plummer filed for divorce in August, citing emotionally abusive and erratic behaviour. She later decided to try to resolve their problems.
Ms Plummer, a St Petersburg-based lawyer, had three children, Julia, Jane (8) and Jacob (6), whom she adopted from orphanages in Russia. Mr Reid stayed at home to mind the children while Ms Plummer worked.
The Department of Foreign Affairs have been in contact with Mr Reid's family.