Cops: Ohio family dead in murder-suicide

updated 4:11 p.m. ET Jan. 29, 2009

WHITEHALL, Ohio - A family of four was found shot to death in a suburban Columbus home, victims of an apparent murder-suicide committed by the father, police said Thursday.

Sgt. Daniel Kelso said the father left a suicide note but declined to discuss its contents. A gun was found at the scene, he said.

Police identified the victims, found Wednesday, as Mark Meeks, 51; Jennifer Dallas-Meeks, 40; and their children, Abbigail, 8, and Jimmy, 5. The children had been home from school Wednesday because of a snow day.

All family members had gunshot wounds, Kelso said.

'We loved him'
Mark Meeks had been temporarily laid off from his job at Immke Northwest Honda in Dublin because of the economy, but had returned to work about three weeks ago, service manager Gary Kennedy said. He worked in the service department advising customers on their needs.

"We're just as shocked as everybody else," Kennedy said. "We loved him, and he did a hell of a job."

Police have not commented on a motive for the shootings and have declined to say if Meeks' job situation might have been a factor.

Yellow police tape surrounded the family's brick, ranch-style home Thursday. Friends stopped by and left stuffed animals and personal notes on the front lawn.

Denise Ford, 39, said she'd known the family for four years.

"I didn't know of any trouble," Ford said. "They just seemed to be a good, normal family."

A relative had called police Wednesday afternoon asking that authorities check on the family's welfare, Kelso said.

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