A married Owings Mills couple – Gary Scott Franklin, 63, and Karen Halle Franklin, 59 — were found dead on Tuesday afternoon, Apr. 1, in their Worthington Park residence in what is suspected to be a murder-suicide.
Baltimore County Police officers were called at approximately 4 p.m. about an assault at a house in the 3500 block of Avery Hill Drive. Police found the bodies of the Franklins with apparent gunshot wounds. Police said one of the victims died from a self-inflicted gunshot.
“It is very shocking to have something like this happen in our neighborhood,” a neighbor, Erin Knapp, told WJZ-TV.
At press time, police said homicide investigators are looking into the matter. More information will be provided to the public when the cause of death is determined by the Chief Medical Examiner’s office.
“You don’t know what is going through people’s heads, but it’s just very sad for the children, and just a horrible situation,” another neighbor, Dan Katz, told WJZ. “It’s just tragic.”
The Franklins are survived by their children, Carli (Josh) Ruffner, Matthew Franklin (fiancée Sarah Gilman), and Abigail Franklin, as well as their grandson, Hayden Ruffner.
A 1983 graduate of Pikesville High School and the University of Delaware, Karen Franklin is survived by her sisters, Lauren (Shawn) Smith and Susan (Roy) Garfinkel, and her mother Josephine (Donald) Franklin. She is also survived by her brothers-in-law Joel (Karen) Franklin, Andrew (Allison) Franklin, and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father, Carl Halle.
“Karen was a selfless, sensitive, loyal, caring, and compassionate woman whose smile lit up every room,” her family posted on the website of Sol Levinson & Bros. ”Karen was the glue that held her family together and her passing has left an enormous hole in the lives of everyone she touched.”
In her eulogy, Beth El Congregation’s Rabbi Dana Saroken said, “It feels nearly impossible to wrap one’s mind around this day, the pain of this moment. There are no words for this day, other than dreadful and tragic … It’s hard to make sense of. …
“Karen was happy and easygoing and sweet. … She was a totally dedicated wife to Gary, and also a wonderful mother. She was a supermom — strong, selfless. She cared more about [her children] than herself. They learned to be caring and kind and forgiving from her. She taught them to see the good in people and to be loving. She was truly the glue of the family. She was unconditionally loving. Her bright smile lit up the world and made a profound impact on all who loved her.
“May her righteous soul be a blessing and may we all remember her for the beautiful woman that she was.”
Services for Karen Franklin were held at Sol Levinson’s Chapel in Pikesville, on Friday, Apr. 4, at 12:30 p.m. Interment was at Beth El Memorial Park, 9801 Liberty Road in Randallstown.
Contributions may be made in her memory to the charity of your choice.
“We may never understand why you were taken away from us,” eulogized her daughter, Abigail Franklin. “But we will always love you. You were my superhero.”
Gary Franklin is survived by his brothers Joel (Karen) Franklin and Andrew (Allison) Franklin; and his sisters-in-law Lauren (Shawn) Smith and Susan (Roy) Garfinkel, and his mother-in-law Josephine (Donald) Franklin. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Bobby and Carolyn Franklin.
“Gary was a witty, intelligent man with a generous spirit,” his family wrote on Levinson’s website. “He loved being Grandpa to Hayden.”
A private interment for Gary Franklin was held at Beth El Memorial Park on Friday, Apr. 4. Contributions may be made in his memory to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation online at bbrfoundation.org.
A committed philanthropist and community leader, Russel was president of R&H Motors.
The mother of four was a native of Winchester, Virginia, who spent most of her life in Northwest Baltimore.
The Columbia resident worked on the Gemini and Apollo space missions.
A St. Louis native, Edelman served as ambassador to the central African nation from 1987 to 1989.