ARTESIA : Man Apparently Kills Girlfriend, Then Himself

An Artesia man shot his live-in girlfriend in the head and then killed himself Monday, leaving his estranged wife to find the two bodies on a back porch, the Sheriff’s Department reported.

Michael E. Elson, 39, killed Rolang Boone, 38, and then turned the .22-caliber pistol on himself, Detective Steve Davis said.

Elson had called his estranged wife around 5 a.m. and said he wanted to see her, Davis said. When she arrived at Elson’s home in the 17000 block of Roseton Avenue, she found the two bodies and called authorities.

Investigators could not establish a motive and said no note was left. Davis said Elson and his wife had been separated for years.