Michigan Murder-Suicide: 2 Police Officers In A Relationship Found Dead With Baby At Home

Two police officers, described as a couple, were found dead in a Michigan address after a "domestic" incident turned violent, the authorities said.

A baby was also found unharmed at the residence.

The deceased police officers, identified as Matthew Ethington II, 26, and Maria Martin, 22, were found Sunday with gunshot wounds in a Livonia condo. They were both members of the Detroit Police Department and had served on the force for less than five years, according to Law & Crime.

Investigators believe Ethington shot Martin multiple times before turning the gun on himself. The child found at the scene was placed in the care of a family member.

The police were still investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting, but believe it was some sort of domestic violence situation.

"It appears to be domestic," Detroit Police Chief James White said in a media update at the scene. "It looks like—preliminarily—a murder-suicide."

Speaking about the incident, Dr. Kenneth Wolf, CEO of Incident Management Team, Inc., told 7 Action News, "The dynamics of most domestic abusers are domination, manipulation and control and as long as they can control the other person, the relationship stays intact."

Wolf explained a person who wants to end the relationship in such situations could be at risk of harm when they say they want out.

"Because somebody may feel such a narcissistic insult, I'm losing control over this other person, the thinking may be 'if I can't have her, no one can have her,'" Wolf added.

Responding officers were visibly distraught at the scene of the murder, White said.

"Sad day for our department. Thoughts and prayers go out to the family, as well as our officers who as you can see over there are taking it pretty hard," he was quoted saying.

Wolf said law enforcement officials experience sadness when they see that a police officer was distressed to the point of inflicting violence on someone else.

"There's also a sense of anger, a sense of betrayal. That officer betrayed the badge, betrayed the mission of a police officer, which is to protect and not to harm," Wolf told the outlet. "So, whatever the person's motivations might have been, taking violence against another individual inappropriately is never something you can condone of accept."

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.