Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

crime:

Police: Man, 86, told paramedics he shot wife; note found

10th Street Shootings

Metro Police investigate the circumstances of shootings that left an 80-year-old woman dead and an 86-year-old man injured Thursday morning in the 1800 block of 10th Street, which is near St. Louis Avenue and Maryland Parkway. Launch slideshow »

Shooting location

A Metro Police arrest report released today after 86-year-old Joseph Woods was arrested Thursday for allegedly shooting his 80-year-old wife, Kay, reveals new details of the murder-attempted suicide case.

Joseph Woods remains in critical condition at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his side. He was booked in absentia on Thursday into the Clark County Detention Center.

The Clark County District Attorney's Office had not filed a criminal complaint as of this morning, a spokeswoman said.

The report indicated the Woods' daughter, Dawn Ransom, told police that her brother, Joseph Woods Jr., called her and told her something was wrong at "mom's house." When Ransom arrived at the house at 1808 S. 10th St. shortly before 7 a.m. Thursday, she found a note on the kitchen table that read: "Sorry, please forgive us, take care of Lilly, Ma and Pa." The name "Lilly" wasn't mentioned elsewhere in the report.

Ransom found her mother dead and her father with a gunshot wound to his left side and called 911.

Las Vegas Fire and Rescue paramedics arrived and pronounced Kay Woods dead. Paramedics asked Joseph Woods who had shot Kay and he replied, "I shot my wife and then I shot myself."

Joseph Woods then was taken to Sunrise Hospital and underwent surgery, the arrest report said.

The report indicated the brother and sister went into the parents' bedroom and found their mother dead and their father still breathing, the arrest report said. Joseph Woods still had a gun clutched in his hand, and Joseph Jr. took the gun from his father's hand and placed it on a shelf in a hallway, the arrest report said.

There was a cartridge casing lying on the floor beside the bed, and Joseph Jr. took the casing and placed it with the gun.

Kay Woods was lying on her left side, the report said. A gunshot wound to the rear upper-right shoulder was apparent, homicide detectives said. There was also a towel against Kay Woods' right shoulder, where the gun was apparently fired through the towel, the report said. A bullet was found in the bed under her left arm.

A 9mm cartridge casing was found near the pillows at the head of the bed, and detectives examined the gun and found it was a KBI 9mm Makrov, semi-automatic handgun. The gun was registered to the Woods' son, Paul.

Metro detectives were unable to speak to Joseph Woods Sr. because he was in surgery, leading to police booking him in absentia, the report said.

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