The deaths of a husband and wife found with chainsaw wounds in a Lower Moreland home have been ruled a murder-suicide, the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office ruled Wednesday.
County Coroner Walter Hoffman said Nicole Peppelman, 43, died from gaping sharp force injury to the abdomen. She was also stabbed and choked.
Hoffman said she was murdered by Christopher Pappelman, 48, who died of sharp force injuries to his abdomen and right thigh. His manner of death was ruled a suicide.
Police were called to the home on the 1100 block of Country Lane shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday from a 14-year-old caller who reported finding his parents unresponsive with lacerations from a chainsaw.
NBC Philadelphia reported that the couple had three sons and neighbors recalled a long history of domestic violence.
The couple were separated.
