NEED TO KNOW
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A 45-year-old man is suspected of killing Amanda Leigh Wakut and Richard Eastin early on the morning of Sunday, June 21
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Investigators tell PEOPLE the suspected killer was in a relationship with Wakut
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The alleged killer called his ex-wife to tell her he had shot two people and was about to shoot himself
Authorities in Ohio are investigating a double homicide which ended with the alleged killer turning the gun on himself.
Amanda Leigh Wakut, 33, and Richard Eastin, 35, were found fatally shot in the kitchen of a Lakewood, Ohio residence on Sunday, June 21, according to the Lakewood Police Department. A 45-year-old man, whom police suspect was their killer, later fatally shot himself at a different location.
Lakewood police did not name any of the parties in the statement, but the victims were identified by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, according to WKYC and Cleveland.com. The ME’s office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for information.
The investigation began early Sunday morning when Lakewood police responded to a report that a man had told his ex-wife he had shot two people in the home and would shoot himself, Lakewood police said in a police report reviewed by PEOPLE.
Officers arriving at the scene saw a pick-up truck flee the scene at a high speed. After a brief pursuit, the driver, identified as a 45-year-old man, stopped his vehicle, stepped out with a gun to his head and shot himself as officers tried to speak to him, according to the police report.
Officers then recovered the bodies of Wakut and Eastin from inside the residence where they had been called.
Lakewood Police tell PEOPLE the 45-year-old man was Wakut’s boyfriend; they were unable to comment on her relationship with Eastin.
Amanda Leigh Wakut (left); Richard A. Eastin; and Amanda Leigh Wakut’s residence.
Credit: Gofundme(2); Cleveland19News/YouTube
Wakut was a devoted mom and a power-lifter who is being mourned by her community.
“[Amanda] not only taught him how to be strong, but all of her clients, friends, and loved ones,” read part of a GoFundMe set up to assist her son. “She helped the people around her be better. Whether that was in perfecting their form, demonstrating dedication, determination, and excellence, or simply showing up when you needed a friend.”
Eastin is being remembered as a “genuine, kind-hearted, and loyal” friend, a loved one said in a GoFundMe.
“Richard was a goal-driven person who worked hard for the things he believed in and cared deeply for the people in his life,” read part of the fundraiser. “He was the kind of person who would literally give the shirt off his back to help someone in need, never expecting anything in return.”
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Lakewood Police tell PEOPLE they have not determined a possible motive behind the killings. The investigation is ongoing.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Read the original article on People
