Sahuarita PD identify two people found shot inside home

UPDATE 01/13 6:00 p.m.

The Sahuarita Police Department has identified the two individuals found shot inside a Sahuarita home as 82-year-old Janet Johnson and 78-year-old Mark Johnson.

According to the investigation, Mark Johnson placed the 911 call. Police said he said on the line that he "murdered his wife.” The investigation has also revealed he died by apparent suicide.

Rural Metro Fire Department also responded to the scene and pronounced them dead.

Officers said they had not responded to calls at the house before receiving the initial 911 call on Thursday, not even for domestic violence.

Neighbors tell KGUN9 Rancho Resort where the incident happened is usually a quiet and peaceful neighborhood, so they were shocked to hear about the situation.

On Friday a neighbor placed flowers and a whiteboard in front of the house so other neighbors could share their thoughts about the Johnsons.

Eileen Belove is the neighbor of the Johnsons and she said she heard one gunshot go off.

“It was a shock to hear the gunshot. I had thought my husband had fallen. That’s the kind of thud sound it made,” Belove said.

Belove said the Johnsons' dog had passed away not too long ago and expressed that the death may have drove Mark Johnson to kill himself and his wife.

She said she would see Mark Johnson occasionally give treats to dogs in the neighborhood, and said he was in a guitar group with her husband and others in the community, but she said he usually kept to himself. She said she never saw Janet Johnson.

“I’ve known him for 15 years that he’s lived here but he was not a sociable person. He was very quiet, and as I said, I never saw the women for 15 years,” she said.

The Johnsons' next of kin have been notified.

Google Maps 2023

——

Original story:

Sahuarita Police Department (SPD) is investigating two deaths inside a home on West Via Cerro Colorado on Thursday.

According to police, a 911 call reported a homicide at the house. Officers and Rural Metro Fire responders arrived at the location and found two people dead.

The SPD says one of the individuals appears to have died by suicide, and that they do not suspect any danger to the public at this time.

This is a developing story. KGUN 9 will update this story when police release additional details.

Police are asking that anyone with information on these deaths call SPD at (520) 344-7000 or their tip line, (520) 445-7864.