Fairbanks police say a woman and her ex-boyfriend were found dead Wednesday in an apparent murder-suicide at the boyfriend's home.
According to Fairbanks Police Department spokesperson Yumi McCulloch, the bodies of 24-year-old Vanessa D. Reese and 26-year-old Thien Tran were discovered at Tran's residence on the 1200 block of McCarty Avenue shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday.
McCulloch said in a statement police received two reports regarding Reese, beginning just before 6:30 p.m.
The first, from University of Alaska Fairbanks police, was a request for a welfare check after Reese didn't pick up her two young children from a child-care facility. The second was from a co-worker who said Reese had left work at lunch but never returned.
"The co-worker stated (Tran) was in her office shortly before she left but did not see (Reese) leave with him," McCulloch wrote. "The co-worker reported that Reese had recently been accepted to an out-of-state nursing program and was going to tell Tran that she was leaving Alaska to attend."
Members of FPD's Tactical Police Team began to check locations where Reese might be, including her office and home. The search ended at Tran's residence.
"Upon entry, both Reese and Tran were found deceased from gunshot wounds," McCulloch wrote. "The preliminary investigation indicates that Tran shot Reese, then killed himself."
McCulloch said Thursday she hadn't heard any word of a note from Tran being discovered at his home, or any communication from Tran to police during the course of the day.
Police were aware, however, of a history of domestic violence incidents involving Tran, McCulloch said.
Court records Thursday listed a single domestic violence case involving Tran, a November 2015 fourth-degree assault charge, to which he pleaded guilty.
Reese's children were being cared for by a family friend. Police are asking anyone with information on the deaths to contact Detective Alana Malloy at 907-450-6557 or amalloy@fairbanks.us.