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Mother, Father Dead after Apparent Murder-Suicide

BANKS TOWNSHIP — A domestic dispute in Carbon County led to an apparent murder-suicide late Friday night. State police said Denise and William Wilkinson, ...

BANKS TOWNSHIP -- A domestic dispute in Carbon County led to an apparent murder-suicide late Friday night.

State police said Denise and William Wilkinson, both 44, were found in a home on East Main Street in Junedale.

Troopers say they were sent to the home shortly before 11 p.m. Friday for a report of a domestic disturbance. When they arrived, they found Denise Wilkinson shot to death.

They also found William Wilkinson with what troopers said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Friends said the couple loved riding motorcycles and seemed to be devoted parents to their young daughter.

The day following the deaths, people in Junedale and nearby Tresckow struggled to comprehend what had happen to a couple who appeared to be friendly and involved in the community.

Mary Pasquale attended the couple's wedding.

"Every year around Labor Day they would have a huge birthday party for their daughter, invite about 100 people. We would go down. They were very nice people. They are both going to be missed very much, they really are," Pasquale said.

The Wilkinsons gave Erin Ballick her first babysitting job, caring for their daughter, Stevie Lynn.  Ballick said she was especially upset when she heard that the girl was in the home at the time of the killings.

"The fact that she doesn't have parents anymore is really upsetting, and I am just hoping she is going to be all right," Ballick said.

Court records show Wilkinson did have a criminal record.

He was charged with aggravated assault and several other counts back in 2012.

He pleaded guilty to a single charge of recklessly endangering a person and paid a fine.

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