2 people found dead in Yosemite West murder-suicide

LOS ANGELES — Two people were found dead Thursday in Yosemite West, a small community accessed through Yosemite National Park, in what officials are describing as a murder-suicide.

The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating the case with the California Department of Justice crime lab in Fresno, said Friday that officials responded to reports of a possible deceased person around 4 p.m. Thursday.

Deputies found a deceased man and woman who officials said they believe were visiting the county. The sheriff’s office said that investigators think the woman shot the man multiple times before killing herself and that it has no additional people of interest.

The names of the deceased are being withheld pending next-of-kin notifications.

Kristie Mitchell, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said Yosemite West consists of vacation homes for tourists and second homes for residents. The county reported no homicides in 2020.

“This isn’t very common in the entire area,” she said.