Bulletin E-Edition:
more photosAshley Barker, 26, of Madras, stands in her doorway, which looks onto Hannah Crowe and Julian Wallulatum’s apartment in the Willow Creek complex, shown below. Barker said she saw Crowe’s children playing outside as usual, two days after police say the couple had died.
Photos by Pete Erickson / The Bulletin
More details emerge in young couple’s deaths
‘He broke down the door, saw the bodies, grabbed the baby ...’
By Lauren Dake / The Bulletin
Published: January 06. 2009 4:00AM PSTMADRAS — Agnes Arthur first became alarmed when her 26-year-old niece, and neighbor, missed an appointment to take her grocery shopping.
“And then her children asked if they could stay with me,” said Arthur, who is disabled. “They told me the baby was in the room, crying, and the door was locked.”
It had been a couple of days since Arthur had seen her niece, Hannah Crowe, or Crowe’s fiance, Julian Wallulatum.
Since Arthur lives in the same apartment complex as the couple, and because Crowe acted as Arthur’s caretaker, to not see them for so long was unusual.
Arthur said she tried calling, but the phone would just ring and ring.
Another neighbor, Andrew Smith, decided to go to the couple’s apartment to investigate.
“As soon as he walked in, he could smell it,” Arthur said. He broke down the door, saw the bodies, grabbed the baby. He came screaming over to call 911.”
On Saturday evening, Officers from the Madras Police Department and Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies found Hannah Crowe, who turned 26 on Saturday, dead in the apartment she shared with Wallulatum, who turned 21 on Friday.
Officials found the couple in their bedroom, according to information from the Madras Police.
‘A clear murder-suicide’
“Based on evidence and statements from families and friends, this appears to be a clear murder-suicide,” Madras Police Detective Tanner Stanfill said.
Stanfill said it appears Wallulatum fatally shot Crowe in the head during a domestic dispute and then shot himself using a rifle. The shooting occurred sometime on New Year’s Day, Stanfill said.
The couple had one child, a 9-month-old daughter, who was locked inside the bedroom with her parents at the time of the shooting. Crowe had three other children: two sons, ages 8 and 2, and a 4-year-old girl.
The three other children were left unsupervised for the next two days. The children asked neighbors for food and water and were seen outside playing as usual, according to neighbors.
“Saturday morning, the kids were out playing. It’s awful; they were alone that long and everything seemed normal,” said Ashley Barker, who lived across from the couple.
The oldest son eventually told neighbors he saw blood when he looked underneath the crack of the door, according to police.
The neighbors in the apartment above the couple and next door said they didn’t hear any gunshots. And, they said, the couple never had loud screaming matches or seemed at all unhappy.
A rocky history
But, according to Stanfill, the couple did have a history of domestic disputes.
“Both in Warm Springs and in Madras, police have had to respond to their residence because of a dispute,” Stanfill said.
The couple were members of the Warm Springs tribes.
Wallulatum worked in fire management for the tribes, according to Robert Barshofsky, the public information officer for Warm Springs Fire & Rescue.
Arthur said Crowe was a caretaker and had moved to Madras with Wallulatum about six months ago.
“She was a beautiful young lady,” Arthur said of Crowe. “She was a good mother, attentive to her children. … She had eyes that danced.”
Stanfill said he wasn’t sure if the two were drinking, and wouldn’t know until the toxicology results were returned.
All four children were examined at Mountain View Hospital, according to Madras Police.
They were found to be in good health and were taken into protective custody by the Department of Human Services. Arthur said they were all with family now.
The apartment where Crowe and Wallulatum lived had strollers, scooters, and a slew of children’s toys in front of it Monday morning.
A sign read, “Bless all who enter here.” And orange sparkly garland decorated the ceiling above the door.
Lauren Dake can be reached at 541-419-8074 or at ldake@bendbulletin.com.
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