Thomas Schultz Riverview Florida veteran kills terminally ill wife, stepdaughter then self in double murder suicide after calling 911 dispatcher that he couldn’t see a way out.
No way out… A Florida veteran shot and killed his wife and stepdaughter — both of whom were terminally ill — before taking his own life Wednesday morning, in an apparent double murder suicide.
Thomas Schultz, 64, told a 911 dispatcher circa 6.17 a.m that he had been caring for his stricken family members but that ‘we are in impossible situation, with no way out,’ the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office stated.
Despite the dispatcher attempting to calm the retired Air Force serviceman, Schultz said he had to get off the phone.
‘I’m fixin’ to shoot myself,’ he told the dispatcher before hanging up.
Desperate deputies responded to the man’s Riverview, Tampa Bay area home only to find Schultz dead on a rear porch from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The man’s revolver was found at his side.
‘No such thing as an impossible situation’
Officers scouring the scene, entered the residence where they then found the man’s wife, Joy Schultz, in her 80s, shot dead in her bed.
Schultz’s stepdaughter was also found shot dead in a hospital-style bed in another room while still connected to feeding tubes related to her illness.
‘We have learned from the family that both Schultz’s wife and stepdaughter were suffering from terminal illnesses,’ said Sheriff Chad Chronister.
Chronister said the 911 dispatcher had recently lost a loved one to suicide and was struggling with Schultz’s death.
‘She’s struggling even more than normal,’ he said, noting that Schultz had no criminal history and that they had never been called to the home previously.
Chronister said the incident should be a reminder that ‘[t]here is no such thing as an ‘impossible situation.’’
‘There is always hope, and there is always help,’ he said. ‘This tragedy has occurred during the month of May, Mental Health Awareness Month. I am urging anyone in crisis to please seek help. There are a number of resources available in our community, including the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. Simply call 211.’
Model neighbor
A neighbor told the Tampa Bay Times that Schultz confided his struggles to him recently and said his situation was becoming difficult to bear.
‘He was saying it’s kind of stressful, kind of getting overwhelming,’ Troy Quinn told the outlet.
‘I said, ‘I’m here for you if you ever need to talk, and if there’s anything I can do, let me know.’ He said he would.’
‘He was a “model neighbor,” Quinn said, the type who pulled Quinn’s empty garbage can back up to his garage on collection days.
