Lake Edward Couple Dies of Murder-Suicide

Law enforcement has closed the book on the deaths of a Lake Edward Township couple as a murder-suicide.

Authorities responded to a house fire in April.  When they arrived, they found the bodies of 56-year-old Kenneth Ponsness and his 57-year-old wife Kathleen in the master bedroom. 

An autopsy determined that Kathleen died of manual strangulation, while Kenneth died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

The State Fire Marshal found two fires had been intentionally set in the garage, and fire more in the house.

A suicide note was found in the Ponsness' vehicle parked on the road.