As our parents grow older into their 70s and 80s, society has taught us to be continually cautious and mindful when it comes to their care. Sometimes, however, things escalate to a level that you never would have imagined, and it’s their children that you need to be worried about. A 91-year-old mother and her 68-year-old son were found dead in their Texas home last week after authorities performed a wellness check a neighbor requested. The suspicious deaths were ruled a murder-suicide as police found that the elderly Texas woman shot her son and then turned the gun on herself.
After first being classified as a suspicious death, authorities in El Paso, Texas, have ruled the death of 91-year-old Ann Crawford Fritz and her 68-year-old son, John Fritz, as a murder-suicide, according to KFOX14.
The investigation started after a neighbor called police to do a wellness check on the mother and son, KFOX14 reported. Police arrived at the home near Radford School in central El Paso in the early evening hours on February 9, 2026. What they found inside of the home was shocking.
In a strange turn of events, police have determined that it was the elderly mother, Ann Fritz, who shot her son and then she died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, per KVIA.
Details surrounding the murder-suicide and a possible motive are unclear and continue to be investigated, according to People.
One would like to hope that as we grow older, especially if we’re lucky enough to still be close to and living with our parents and older relatives, that it would be a nurturing and safe environment where we take care of one another. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to have been the case here. We hope the family can find peace and healing during this extremely difficult time.
Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available24/7 by phone or online chat.
