Fairfield police investigate apparent murder-suicide

Police say a Fairfield man shot his wife and then himself in a murder-suicide Monday night. At 8:11 p.m., police received a 911 call from Rita Joyce, 52. They then dispatched officers to her Mayweed

News 12 Staff

Jan 8, 2008, 11:59 PM

Updated 6,216 days ago

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Police say a Fairfield man shot his wife and then himself in a murder-suicide Monday night.
At 8:11 p.m., police received a 911 call from Rita Joyce, 52. They then dispatched officers to her Mayweed Road home after the call abruptly ended. When police called the home back, Jonathan Brookner, 56, answered. However, that call also ended abruptly. By the time officers reached the home at 8:15, they found the couple shot dead on the first floor.
A medical examiner determined it was Brookner who shot his wife in the head and then turned the gun on himself. Police are now analyzing 911 tapes to figure out what else happened inside the home and why the deaths occurred.
Neighbors of the residents say they had no children, only a dog they both doted on. Neighbors also say the couple both had doctorate degrees from the University of Chicago and worked in business.