Death Pact Puts End to Couple’s Success Story : Murder-suicide: Anaheim husband and wife send videotape to a relative, saying they had achieved all they wanted. It arrived too late to prevent tragedy.

In a 15-minute videotape sent to a relative, Douglas and Dana Ridenour described themselves as a couple deeply in love and satisfied with the life they had built. They spoke of some recent accomplishments and a plan to treat themselves to a $50,000 spending spree.

But the middle-aged couple talked about their fear of growing old, and then as Douglas’ brother, Ronald, watched the tape in horror, they spoke of ending their lives.

Ronald Ridenour raced from Santa Barbara to Orange County, hoping to talk his brother and sister-in-law out of their apparent suicide plans.

He was two days late.

The bodies of Douglas L. Ridenour, 48, and Dana S. Ridenour, 45, were found early Wednesday lying on separate couches in the family room of their South Dickel Street home. The couple’s two poodles lay dead on the floor near their owners.

All had been shot once in the head with a 12-gauge shotgun, Anaheim Police Sgt. Chet Barry said.

Police, who estimate that the shootings occurred 48 hours earlier, believe the couple died in a murder and suicide that they had planned for several months. In fact, the tape was made April 19 and delivered to Ronald Ridenour’s house after the couple had died.

Ronald Ridenour said his brother and sister-in-law had been married 22 years and were extremely devoted to one another, spending nearly all their time together. The couple had no children.

Ridenour said he and his brother often had delved into “philosophical arguments” about life and death, with Douglas insisting that he wanted to die on his own terms.

“He told me (last week) that I’d be receiving an important package in the mail,” Ronald Ridenour said about the envelope that contained the videotape, a will and a receipt for payment for cremation services. “As soon as I saw those papers, I knew what the videotape was. . . . “

“There was nothing really bizarre other than he wanted to pick the time and place,” Ridenour said of the murder-suicide.

Indeed, in the videotape, the couple stated that they had achieved financial success and were satisfied with their personal lives.

“They decided they reached the age where they have gone as far as they are going to go,” Barry said after he viewed the videotape several times. The tape has not been made public pending an investigation.

Ridenour and Barry said that the couple seemed calm and upbeat as they talked about ending their lives.

“They said they had a full life and are very happy with it,” Barry said. “But neither one had a desire to grow old and they were going to take care of it. They didn’t leave any doubt what they had in mind.”

In the tape, they also instructed Ronald Ridenour to cremate their bodies and scatter the ashes in the ocean. Ronald Ridenour said his brother had paid for the arrangements.

Mental health experts were cautious in assessing possible reasons for the couple’s decision but suggested that they may have felt they were improving their existence.

“What’s suggested is that they were engaged in a transcendental suicide, where they hope to go to a better place,” said Dr. Bruce Danto, a Fullerton psychiatrist who is past president of the American Assn. of Suicidology.

“Assuming they were really close, this sort of death carries with it the idea of a fantasy reunion,” he added. “The suicide is not an end to life, but the beginning of the next phase. It’s a philosophical thing.”

He said he was puzzled at the couple’s timing. “It makes me wonder if there was some concealed illness. I don’t think the full story has come out,” said Danto.

Ronald Ridenour and Barry said that the couple gave no hint that there were hidden motives.

Barry said that police were called to the couple’s home after a dispatcher received a frantic call from Ronald Ridenour.

Barry said that Douglas appeared to have shot his wife once in the head as she lay on a family room couch. He then shot the dogs. Finally, he laid down on a separate family room couch and turned the gun on himself.

Although police do not suspect foul play, Barry said, a homicide investigation is under way.

“We are taking a close, hard look at this,” Barry said. “We don’t want to overlook anything.”

Douglas Ridenour had changed careers last year, going into real estate after working for years as a graphic illustrator, according to his brother. Dana Ridenour also quit her occupation as a legal secretary and took up real estate so that the couple could work together. They most recently worked as a team for Lincoln Realty Inc. in Orange.

Judy Dillabou, co-owner of Lincoln, described the Ridenours as an energetic couple on the rise. She said they joined the firm in November, 1989, but left abruptly in April--about the same time that they taped the video message.

They told Dillabou that they had come into some money and wanted to travel for several months. Plans called for the Ridenours to return to work next Monday, Dillabou said.

“I called the home 10 days ago and Doug answered and he was extremely upbeat,” Dillabou said. “He sounded like he was real glad to hear from us, said everything was fine.”

Ronald Ridenour said he was unaware of any travel plans and neighbors said the couple were seen frequently at the house.

Before their sudden departure from Lincoln Realty, the Ridenour’s had earned a reputation as a couple on the move. Co-workers and neighbors described them as impeccably dressed, articulate and bright. She drove a late-model yellow Cadillac. He drove a white Corvette.

Dillabou said that the Ridenours had sold sold several high-priced homes in the upscale Anaheim Hills areas and had four or five other listings when they left. They had also developed several investment deals involving apartment units priced at nearly $1 million, Dillabou said, adding:

“They were on their way to becoming two of our top producers.”

Dillabou said the couple were friendly with co-workers but chose not to socialize outside the office. The Ridenours would tell colleagues they preferred to be alone together.

“They said their dogs were their kids and all they needed was each other,” Dillabou recalled.

COUNTDOWN TO TRAGEDY

1988--The couple move into their South Dickel Street home.

1989--Douglas Ridenour quits his job as a graphic illustrator and begins studying with Dana Ridenour to become a real estate broker. The two start working for Coldwell Banker.

November, 1989--Douglas and Dana Ridenour go to work for Lincoln Realty Co. in Orange.

April, 1990--The Ridenours quit their jobs at Lincoln. On April 19, they record a videotape explaining that they are happy with their lives but feel they must end it all “very soon.”

Week of July 22--Douglas Ridenour calls brother and tells him to expect an important package in Tuesday’s mail.

Tuesday, July 31--Ridenour’s brother, Ronald, arrives home about 10:30 p.m. and opens package containing video, will and funeral arrangement. After viewing it, he drives two hours from Santa Barbara to the Ridenours’ home in Anaheim.

Wednesday, Aug. 1--Ronald Ridenour arrives in Orange County and finds the bodies of his brother and sister-in-law. Anaheim police receive call at 2:40 a.m.