The shootings were the third murder-suicide in the county this year.
By Associated Press
Published June 28, 2004
LAKELAND - A man went to the home of his parents Sunday and found the couple dead of gunshot wounds, the third murder-suicide in Polk County this year, officials said.
Elaine Rawson, 64, apparently shot and killed husband George Rawson, 68, then turned the 9 mm handgun on herself, Polk County sheriff's spokeswoman Carrie Rodgers said.
The son, whose name was not available, had been worried because he had not heard from his parents in two weeks and went to the Lakeland home to check on them, Rodgers said.
The couple likely died between June 9 and June 12, she said.
The decomposing bodies were in the bedroom, with the husband on a bed and the wife on the floor, Rodgers said.
A note was left indicating Elaine Rawson was the shooter, but no further details of the note were being released, Rodgers said.
Polk County has had four homicides this year, all in murder-suicides, including a double-murder suicide last month, Rodgers said.
