When Kaitlyn Cole and her husband Tyler failed to check out of the Hotel Indigo in Traverse City, Michigan on Sunday June 30, hotel staff went to their room to investigate. They were unable to open the door to access the room so they called police for assistance.
Police officers found the door to be barricaded and they had to force their way inside.
Traverse City Police Chief Jeff O’Brien says, “There was a deadlock bolt on the inside and also an ironing board that was securing that door from us opening it. We got in and there was a male and female, they were both on the bed. It was apparent it was a murder-suicide.”
Investigators believe that Tyler killed his wife before he turned the gun on himself. Chief O’Brien says, “They’re a husband and wife from Traverse City. There was a Glock 45 pistol that was on the male’s person, so it led us to believe he was the individual that shot his wife and then shot himself.”
Each person suffered one gunshot wound. There were no notes left behind at the scene.
There were no reports that anyone heard gunshots, and it’s not clear when the incident happened.
The bodies are now in Kalamazoo for an autopsy.
Traverse City Police Investigating Murder-Suicide at Hotel Indigo