A tragic scene unfolded in Hanford on Sunday morning when a man shot his wife in the head during a domestic dispute and then called the police to report the crime before taking his own life. The incident, which occurred in the couple’s home, has left the community reeling as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The suspect, identified as 64-year-old Roger Hedrick, contacted Hanford Police at approximately 8:40 a.m. on August 11, 2024. According to Hanford Police Lieutenant Justin Vallin, Hedrick calmly reported to the dispatcher that he had gotten into an argument with his wife, Teresa, which escalated into violence. He confessed to shooting her in the head and informed the dispatcher that he planned to end his own life before the police arrived.
“He told our dispatch center that he and his wife were involved in a disturbance and that during the disturbance, she had come after him with a firearm,” Lt. Vallin recounted. “He, in turn, shot her in the head and said that he would be gone by the time police arrived and that he was leaving the front door unlocked.”
Hedrick provided the dispatcher with his name and address, spelling his name to ensure there was no mistake. Despite the gravity of his actions, he remained composed throughout the call, calmly explaining his intentions to leave the door open for officers to find their bodies.
When police arrived at the residence, they found the front door unlocked as Hedrick had promised. Upon entering the home, officers discovered the lifeless bodies of Roger and Teresa Hedrick in their bedroom. Both had sustained fatal gunshot wounds to the head, and two handguns were found near their bodies.
Lt. Vallin emphasized that there was no evidence of a struggle or disturbance in other parts of the house, indicating that the violence had been confined to the bedroom. The investigation is ongoing, with detectives working to piece together the events leading up to the tragic incident.
Authorities are now attempting to obtain search warrants for the couple’s phones to gain insight into their relationship and any possible signs of trouble before Sunday. Lt. Vallin noted that, so far, there is no known history of domestic violence or criminal activity involving the couple, and there had been no previous police calls to their residence.
“Right now, we’re trying to get a better understanding of what might have led to this tragic event,” Vallin said. “We’re looking into their phones to see if there were any messages, calls, or anything else that might give us more context.”
According to a report by Mirror, the lack of a prior history of domestic violence has left investigators puzzled, as they try to determine what could have driven Hedrick to commit such a violent act. Vallin pointed out that while the 911 call provided crucial information, it also raised more questions about what may have been happening behind closed doors.
“If the individual wouldn’t have called, it could have been days, weeks before anybody went by the residence to locate them. And we would have never known what happened,” Vallin explained. “That call was crucial. The individual, like I said, did spell his name out to us, gave us his exact address, told us what he had done, as well as told us he was leaving the front door open.”
As the investigation continues, the community is grappling with the shock of the incident. Neighbors described the Hedricks as a quiet couple who largely kept to themselves. Many expressed disbelief that such a tragedy could occur in their seemingly peaceful neighborhood.
“It’s just shocking,” said one neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous. “You never think something like this could happen so close to home. They seemed like a normal couple, always polite when we saw them. It’s just heartbreaking.”
The Hanford Police Department is urging anyone with information about the couple or the events leading up to Sunday’s tragedy to come forward. They hope that by piecing together more details, they can provide answers to the many questions that remain.
In the meantime, the community mourns the loss of two lives and grapples with the unsettling reality of domestic violence that can often go unnoticed until it’s too late. As the investigation progresses, authorities will continue to search for clues that might shed light on the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Roger and Teresa Hedrick.