A woman and her husband were found dead in what authorities have described as a murder-suicide at their home after one of them never made it to work.
An investigation revealed Lorelei Strickland was fatally shot by her husband, Jarrott Strickland, according to a news release from the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office.
Gulf County sheriff’s deputies began investigating after a 911 caller reported the afternoon of April 6 that “an employee of a local business had not reported to work” and asked for a welfare check, the agency said.
Deputies visited the person’s “last known address,” but left to check other locations “after receiving no answer at the door and observing no immediate signs of foul play,” the sheriff’s office said.
While deputies continued to investigate, family and friends went to the Stricklands’ residence, where they found Lorelei and Jarrott dead in a bedroom, according to authorities.
“It was further reported that it appeared that they had been deceased for some time,” the sheriff’s office said.
When authorities arrived, they noticed that Lorelei had been fatally shot and that there were no “signs of forced entry,” according to the agency.
“Initial findings from investigators and the Medical Examiner’s Office indicate that Mr. Strickland shot his wife and then” died by suicide, the sheriff’s office said. “This remains an active and ongoing investigation.”
Lorelei is survived by her sons, Jarrott and Jeremiah Strickland, as well as two grandchildren, “who were the light of her life,” according to her online obituary.
Lorelei was 40 when she died, the obituary says.
She is described by her obituary as a “devoted mother, sister, and grandmother who embraced life with warmth, dedication, and a deep appreciation for simple joys.”
“Above all, Lorelei treasured the time spent with her beloved grandchildren, often expressing that these moments were the greatest sources of happiness in her life,” her obituary reads, in part.
Lorelei’s co-worker, Kylee Easter, has created a GoFundMe page to help support her family with funeral and memorial expenses.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the unexpected passing of our sweet Lorelei who meant so much to all of us,” reads the GoFundMe page. “She was more than just a coworker — she was family. A light in our workplace, a friend in our community, and a deeply loved member of her family. Her kindness, laughter, and genuine spirit touched everyone she met, and her absence has left a space that can never truly be filled.”
