Man shoots himself in the head during argument with woman, bullet exits his head and hits her in the neck killing her
Authorities are investigating the deaths of a man and a woman who they believe died as a result of a suicide and an accidental shooting. The Utah County Sheriff's Office received a call about the shooting, which occurred in Payson Canyon at Maple Bench Campground, just before 12.30 am on Saturday, July 6, according to ABC4.
The caller told the 911 dispatcher that he had heard a man and a woman arguing in the area of the campground for several hours before the sound of a gunshot rung out and he heard the woman scream.
Investigators said the man was sitting inside a vehicle and arguing with the woman, who was standing outside. Then, while the woman was speaking, the man shot himself in the head with a handgun.
While the woman was not an intended target, the bullet from the gunshot left the vehicle and hit her in the neck, investigators said, fatally injuring her in the process. They said her death was an accident.
The man immediately died from his wounds, with medical responders with Payson Fire & Rescue, along with AirMed, responding to the scene in an attempt to save the woman but ultimately not succeeding because of the seriousness of her injuries.
Both bodies were transported to the Medical Examiner's Officer in Taylorsville for an autopsy. Preliminary physical evidence suggests that the woman's death was accidental, though no conclusion can definitely be made until the results are back.
The UCSO identified the man and the woman as 27-year-old Ethan Larry Bertrum of Orem and 24-year-old Nakylee Hope Marvin of Springville. The pair reportedly had a five-year-old daughter together who was also at the scene during the time of the shooting but was luckily unhurt.
When detectives talked to the 911 caller, he apparently told them that he, Marvin, Bertrum, their daughter, and his three-year-old daughter had been camping together when the shooting happened. The UCSO has insisted that there is no danger to the public in connection to the shooting and that their investigation is still in its early stages.
If you or someone you know in Utah is struggling with thoughts of suicide, you can call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.