Man, 79, and Wife, 69, Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide

Arlington man upset about wife's Alzheimer's, neighbors say

A 79-year-old Arlington man devastated about putting his longtime wife in a nursing home because of her Alzheimer's disease called 911 to say he had killed her and was about to kill himself, according to police and neighbors.

Officers forced their way in the couple's home and found both dead, said Arlington police spokeswoman Tiara Ellis Richard.

The medical examiner did not immediately release the couple's names, but friends identified them as Thomas and Marilyn Weir. She was 69.

Thomas Weir had decided just a few days ago to put her in a nursing home because he could no longer care for her, neighbors said.

"He was really upset about that, putting her in a home, because they had been together so long," said neighbor Lakita Brown.

The couple had been married for 44 years, according to a relative.

"He loved her with all his heart," said Charles Day, who lives across the street. "He's been really broke up about taking care of her and all the problems she's had -- not the fact he had to take care of her, but that she was failing so bad. He really loved her."

Day said Weir openly shared his feelings with neighbors and couldn't stand to see his wife in a nursing home.

"People his age, they think they're going in there to die," Day said. "They don't realize these homes take care of you."

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