Crime & Safety
Coroner: Charles Snelling Committed Suicide
Charles Snelling died of a gunshot wound, but the cause of his wife's death is pending investigation, according to Lehigh County Chief Deputy Coroner Paul Hoffman.
, well-known political activist and businessman, died from a gunshot wound. The Lehigh County Coroner’s Office ruled it a suicide.
The cause and manner of death for Snelling’s wife, Adrienne, is pending further investigation.
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The brief press release from the coroner's office (attached) gave no more specific details. The couple, both 81, were found dead in their home at 1280 Church St., Fogelsville, on Thursday morning.
Adrienne suffered from Alzheimer's disease.
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In a statement to local media Thursday, family members said Charles Snelling "could no longer bear to see the love of his life deteriorate further," choosing to end her life and then his own.
Charles Snelling was board chairman of the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority since 2003. President George W. Bush nominated him to serve on the authority board of directors. And he was a longtime Republican activist in the Lehigh Valley.
The Snellings are survived by five children and 11 grandchildren.
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