DOWNTOWN : Elderly Man Shot to Death, Wife Wounded
An elderly man was shot to death and his wife was seriously wounded Wednesday in an apparent burglary at their home, authorities said.
Police found Rupert Thompson, 73, lying in the front lawn of his home in the 11100 block of Aqua Vista Street about 1:10 a.m., dead of a single gunshot wound to the head, said Los Angeles Police Officer Ron Russell.
Police said Thompson also was beaten, possibly with the handgun used in his murder.
Dorothy Thompson, 70, suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder and was taken to a local hospital where she was admitted to the intensive care unit and listed in stable condition, Russell said.
Dorothy Thompson told police that she thought the gunshots she heard were the sound of another aftershock or something connected with earthquake relief activities, Russell said.
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