Identities revealed in Orion Township murder-suicide

ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJBK) - The identities of two Orion Township individuals involved in a murder-suicide on Friday have been released by Oakland County officials.

The Oakland County Medical Examiner has confirmed the murder-suicide of 57-year-old Mark Renusch and his wife, 56-year-old Maria-Aurora Renusch, who were discovered in their Orion Township home around noon on Friday.

Maria-Aurora was killed by a gunshot wound in the face and officials said Mark died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.

The neighborhood where the incident occurred, Silverbell Oaks, is located off of Silverbell Road not far from Lapeer, where neighbors are still reeling from the horrific details.

The couple was hosting a 17-year-old exchange student from Japan, who was home during the event.

"She heard them arguing and was in a different part of the house, put in ear buds, turned the music up, heard a loud noise but didn't really put two and two together," said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.

The teen went to school and returned to find the Renusch couple dead, just as sheriff deputies arrived to perform a welfare check after Maria-Aurora's coworkers said she hadn't shown up for work.

"One deputy talked to her and the other one began through the house and found both of them deceased," Bouchard said.

Police said the exchange student told them the Renusch couple had been arguing more and more prior to their deaths. Neighbors said they never heard of any trouble at the home before the incident.

"It's shocking because it's unbelievable," a neighbor said.

Forensic investigators were also at the home the day the couple was discovered to collect evidence, and test results are still pending.