Michael James Worden and Freda Griep Bryson I.D.'d as Santa Ana Murder-Suicide Couple

See the update on the identities in the Santa Ana murder-suicide investigation.

ORIGINAL POST, APRIL 3, 9:53 A.M.: An elderly couple was found shot to death in their Santa Ana condominium Wednesday evening in what police are investigating as a murder-suicide.

A Santa Ana Police spokesman says it appears the unidentified husband, who was in his early 70s, shot his wife, who was in her late 70s, before turning the handgun on himself in their condo in the 2100 block of East Wellington Avenue.

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The woman's daughter had called police after not hearing from her mother, who had lived with the man for about 20 years.

Officers arrived at the address around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, when the bodies were discovered, but the time of death is not yet known, police Cmdr. Eric Paulson told City News Service.

UPDATE, APRIL 3, 12:03 P.M.: Police have identified the couple at the center of the murder-suicide investigation as Freda Griep Bryson, 78, and Michael James Worden, 71.

They were not married but had lived together for about 25 years, according to a police update on the case late this morning.

Patrol officers entered the home where they found Bryson and Worden in a bedroom with gunshot wounds, according to the police statement, which adds the Orange County Fire Authority and paramedics responded to the condo and pronounced both deceased.

Homicide detectives have not yet determined a motive but did find an apparent suicide note and the handgun believed used in the incident, according to police.

Email: mc****@oc******.com. Twitter: @MatthewTCoker. Follow OC Weekly on Twitter @ocweekly or on Facebook!

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