Deaths at Village at Rockville Investigated as Murder/ Suicide

[Howard Hartman]

	DEPARTMENT OF POLICE MEDIA SERVICES DIVISION 2350 RESEARCH BOULEVARD ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20850-3294
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 24, 2011	FOR MORE INFORMATION:                         Media Services Division, 240-773-5030

Deaths at Village at Rockville Investigated as Murder/Suicide

Related Reference: 2011 Montgomery County Homicide Map

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division – Homicide/Sex Section are investigating the deaths of an 80-year-old male and 74-year-old female that occurred at The Village at Rockville, a senior living community in Rockville. At this time, detectives are investigating the deaths as an apparent murder/suicide.

Today at approximately 10:00 a.m., 1st District officers and Rockville City officers responded to The Village at Rockville located at 9701 Veirs Drive in Rockville for a reported shooting. Police arrived to the location and found a man and woman deceased in a patient room. Preliminary investigation indicates that the man and woman were husband and wife and that the wife was a patient at The Village of Rockville. On today’s date, the husband went to the community to visit the wife. During the visit, witnesses reported hearing what sounded like gunshots coming from the patient’s room and located the husband and wife in the room. Detectives recovered a firearm on scene and it is believed that this was the weapon used in these deaths.

The victims have been identified as Sandra Ballard, age 74, and Albert Ballard, age 80, both of the 14000 block of Parkvale Road in Rockville.

The circumstances that led to these deaths remain under investigation. Anyone who can provide information related to these deaths is asked to call the Major Crimes Division at 240.773.5070.

9701 Veirs Drive in Rockville