Town X couple found dead in apparent murder-suicide

This post would probably fall under the category of most shocking experience since moving to Town X. I was out of town at a work conference when I got some texts and calls asking if I was ok. Concerned by this, I called and found out that the small little town I now called home had made the news on MSN.com. The town had been rocked that ordinary Friday morning by a gruesome scene. A local couple both found dead in their home by what appeared to be a murder/suicide. As I drove home I wondered what had happened. Was it really a murder/suicide or could it be a double homicide? Living by myself for the first time, I think of these threats a lot more. The scariest part was that the coordinates on the location put it within 50 feet of my apartment. I had no idea if I could possibly be driving back to see police tape near my house. As I drove onto Main street I saw the KSL van and knew that this was no mistake. Although it was not in my back yard, 10 blocks still felt too close. Here is the information the report gave. A happy local couple, known by their friends, family and neighbors as loving and carefree were found dead. Those that knew them could not believe that this could possibly happen, and they were never seen as being angry, let alone angry at each other. They left four children, the youngest being a ten year old, orphaned. My heart broke for those kids, not only over the loss of their parents, but the horrific circumstances surrounding their deaths. Try explaining that to future friends and family. But the first thing that you learn when living in a small town...

There is no such thing as secrets.

And the next day at work, versions of the truth came flooding out. The saddest of which was the lack of surprise experienced by so many in this town. Did they expect the deaths, no. But the turbulence was known community wide. There were reports of adultery with other members of the town, as well as confrontations between husbands and lovers. The truth painted a vitally different picture of life then the article and television spot on KSL. I guess the myth that you can escape tragedy and chronic unhappiness in small rural communities with good values is exactly that, a myth. For their children, loss will be a very real part of their adolescent and childhood experience. For the town a reminder that hatred and scandal are never far. And for me, the knowledge that a facade is exactly that, a superficial appearance or illusion of something that does not exist.