Suspect in Buncombe County triple homicide kills self

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Here’s the news:

CANDLER, N.C. — A police standoff with a man suspected of killing three people and kidnapping two of his children in western North Carolina ended Friday when the man turned a gun on himself, authorities said.

The two children were safe in police custody and were being taken to their home, Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Ross Dillingham said.

Richard D. Heatwole, 45, is suspected of killing his ex-wife and two other people who have not been identified.

Dillingham said Heatwole fled Buncombe County with the children to a cousin’s house near Taylorsville in Alexander County, where officers found him. The spokesman said Heatwole committed suicide at the cousin’s house. Taylorsville is about 90 miles northeast of Candler, which is near Asheville.