MIDVALE — Two people were discovered dead in a suspected murder-suicide inside a Midvale apartment Friday following a standoff with a SWAT team.
Miranda Schachinger, 26 of Midvale and Isaac Andre Renfro, 26 of Midvale, were pronounced dead Friday after the standoff, which lasted almost three hours.
The incident began just before 10:30 a.m. when police received reports of a domestic violence situation at the Candlestick Lane Apartments, 170 E. 7800 South. Unified police detective Ken Hansen said police received tips from “numerous sources” that a Renfro had communicated something that led friends to believe something bad had happened.
Police later discovered Renfro had sent text messages and possibly even pictures indicating that Schachinger was dead, Hansen said.
When officers arrived at the apartment and received no response when trying to contact people inside, Hansen said the decision was made to call out the SWAT team and evacuate some of the surrounding units.
At one point, crime scene negotiators were able to make contact by phone with Renfro, who was still inside the apartment. But about 1:15 p.m. at least two gunshots were fired. One shot went out the window of the apartment, Hansen said. It was not immediately known what that shot hit.
That was followed by a second shot. Police believe Renfro had taken his own life at that point.
The SWAT team used a robot to enter the house where a video camera was able to transmit images of two dead bodies. Hansen said it is believed Schachinger was dead before police arrived at the apartment.
Help available
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233 or the Utah LINKLine at 1-800-897-5465 for confidential assistance.
Anyone who is a victim of domestic violence or knows of a victim in Salt Lake City is encouraged to call police at 801-799-3000 and ask to speak with a victim advocate or call a 24-hour hotline at 801-580-7969.