AHOSKIE – An apparent case of domestic violence turned deadly here early Thursday morning.

Upon an investigation by Ahoskie Police Lt. Detective Jeremy Roberts, a domestic violence fatality went one step further and ended in a murder-suicide. An autopsy performed later on Thursday at the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Greenville confirmed Roberts’ findings.

Treeshanda Smith, 28, and Anthony Moore, 35, were found dead inside the home they shared at 102 Malibu Circle. Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh said Smith and Moore were, “girlfriend and boyfriend.”

Both died of gunshot wounds, Fitzhugh said.

According to Chief Fitzhugh, Ahoskie Police were made aware of the situation upon a called being made at 2:49 a.m. Thursday to the police station by members of the female victim’s family.

“We were asked to check on the welfare of an adult female living at 102 Malibu Circle,” Fitzhugh said. “Lt. (Jeanette) Mathias and Officer (Chad) Wheeler were dispatched to that residence where they were met by friends of the female victim. Upon entering the residence, my officers discovered a male and female that were deceased.”

That discovery prompted a call to Lt. Detective Roberts whose ensuing investigation concluded the incident as a murder-suicide.

Fitzhugh said the couple were the parents of two children – an eight-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter.

“We are unable to conclude if the children were at the residence at the time of the incident,” Fitzhugh said.

Fitzhugh added that his files show one previous domestic altercation between the couple, one reported in 2006 at a different address in Ahoskie. Moore was arrested in that case and charged with domestic violence.