MONROE TWP, Clarion County — A former Butler County woman killed in a suspected murder-suicide Sunday in western Clarion County was shot “multiple times,” authorities said. Investigators believe 19-year-old Lexis Walker was shot Sunday by her boyfriend, Jeremiah P. Heller, 22, at the couple's apartment on Main Street in St. Petersburg, before he turned the gun on himself.

“From the preliminary investigation,” Trooper Ronald Chewning, a community service officer, said at a news conference Wednesday at the state police barracks in Monroe Township, “it appears Jeremiah shot her and then shot himself.”

Clarion County District Attorney Drew Welsh also attended the news conference.

“All preliminary evidence suggests that it's a murder-suicide,” Welsh said, adding that “not any (one else) has been identified as a person of interest or who would be subject to prosecution.”

Police said Heller and Walker, formerly of Allegheny Township in northern Butler County, both died at the scene of gunshot wounds. No autopsies were performed.

Family members discovered the bodies at the apartment the couple shared, investigators said.

“The families were concerned about not having heard from either party,” Chewning said, “so that prompted them to look more into it.”

Police were called at 11:24 a.m., he said. Troopers arrived at 11:33 a.m.

A black pistol was found “in close proximity to both deceased victims,” according to an application for a search warrant that police obtained later Sunday afternoon for the apartment and Heller's vehicle.

Two spent shell casings were found between both bodies, which were found on the second floor at the top of the steps. A third casing was located on the first floor at the bottom of the stairs.

Neither Welsh nor Chewning could not or would not say how many casings were recovered. They also declined to say how many times Walker was shot.

She was shot “multiple times,” is all Welsh would say. Heller had a “single gunshot wound.” Police said they believe the shootings happened early Sunday.

Clarion County Coroner Dan Shingledecker pronounced the couple dead. He has declined comment about his findings.

The search warrant application also noted that police recovered a “handwritten document” from a kitchen dinette that they described as having investigative importance.

Welsh refused to disclose the contents of the document or say if police know who wrote it.

Police knew of no prior problems between the couple before Sunday, Chewning said.

No drugs or illegal substances were found at the apartment, police said.

Additional search warrants were obtained to exam the couple's cellphones, which were recovered. Results of the examination could take some time, investigators admitted.

While investigators are confident of their theory about what happened, Welsh added, “State police are looking at every possible angle and making sure to eliminate any other possibilities before coming to a final conclusion on that.”