Retired Cop Fatally Shot Wife, Then Himself, Claiming 'Merciful Ending' Because of Her Alzheimer’s: 911 Call

Mar. 15, 2025

William A. Kitzmiller and Donna L. Kitzmiller.Photo:legacy.com

legacy.com

The call came through Ottowa County Central Dispatch at 8:58 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28.

William and Donna Kitzmiller – both 80 and of Grand Haven Charter Township, Mich. – died that day, according to theirjoint obituary, which called the couple who were married for 54 years “true partners in life.”

Serving in the U.S. Army, and, later working 30 years in law enforcement, Bill retired as a sergeant from the Grand Haven City Police Department. Donna – who he met when they were students at Albion College – went on to a decades-long career as an elementary school teacher at Grand Haven Area Public Schools.

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Ottowa County Undersheriff Eric J. DeBoar declined to answer any questions regarding the double shooting.

On the 911 call – lasting some three minutes with the heavy audio redactions – the man gave explicit instructions to law enforcement: “The front door to the house is open, unlocked,” he said, adding that there was a note “on the kitchen table with some information.”

“Uh, that’s all,” he concluded. “Thank you very much.”

“Okay, wait, so what happened?” the dispatcher asked. “What did you — what did you do?” Any answer he provided was redacted from the released call.

Then the dispatcher heard a single gunshot, according to her log. William’s labored breathing is audible in the recording, and the dispatcher notes she received “no response” from him after.

By 9:09 a.m. first-responders had arrived at the home, which had no car in the driveway. They secured a perimeter around the house and noted “no movement inside,” the home.

By 6:15 that night, the case was cleared.

source: people.com