Police Await Test Results in Killings

A Ventura man found fatally shot next to his daughter in their apartment earlier this week probably killed the 52-year-old woman before turning the gun on himself, police said Tuesday.

From the beginning police suspected the deaths of William Walsh, 81, and Kerry Carassi were a murder-suicide because there were no signs of forcible entry or a struggle in the home.

Neighbors also told investigators that Walsh had been distraught since the death of his wife several years ago.

But police are awaiting additional test results from the coroner’s office before they reach a definite conclusion, said Ventura Police Sgt. Bob Anderson.

“We feel Mr. Walsh did both shootings,” Anderson said, “but we don’t want to entirely close the book on that just yet.”

Among the evidence police are waiting for are the results of toxicology tests to determine if Walsh or Carassi were under the influence of medication.

An empty prescription bottle was found at the home, police said, along with a medium-caliber handgun.

Police believe the shootings occurred late in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, when neighbors reported hearing popping sounds coming from the Telephone Road apartment complex.

A manager for the complex called the police after he was unable to reach Walsh for several days.