Jamesport couple, Edward and Stephanie Crohan, dead in apparent murder-suicide, police say

A Jamesport man fatally shot his wife and then himself in an apparent murder-suicide, the Suffolk County Police Department said Thursday.

Riverhead Town Police performing a welfare check about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at a Lagoon Court residence found the couple dead of gunshot wounds, according to a police news release.

Suffolk Homicide Squad detectives determined Edward Crohan, 62, shot and killed his wife, Stephanie Crohan, 63, before fatally shooting himself, the release said.

Police did not say how long they had been dead.

Edward Crohan was a retired Southampton Town police officer and his wife was a retired Suffolk County police officer, according to a spokeswoman for Suffolk police.  She had no immediate information on their length of service.

A day later, most of the long driveways on Lagoon Court were empty in the late afternoon and into early Thursday evening. At least two employees of a restoration company, including one who was spotted wearing a gas mask, were working inside the Crohan residence, one of four homes at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Rich Paladino, who lives in a neighboring cul-de-sac off Lagoon Court, described the couple as "great people" and "great neighbors." He added that he was "very surprised" when he heard what had happened on the "quiet block."

A family member contacted by Newsday declined to comment.

A sign advertising the Douglas Elliman real estate agency was seen at the end of the driveway Thursday but it was unclear if the home had been put up for sale. The agency could not be reached late Thursday for comment on the home's status.

Newsday's John Asbury contributed to this story.