Hotmail
Messenger
My MSN
MSN Directory
Mass. woman kills self before home foreclosure
She leaves note asking family to pay for house with life insurance money
 | Video: Life |
 How Oprah's former chef is making a difference Aug. 29: NBC's Tamron Hall reports on how Art Smith is using his cooking skills to teach —— and feed — young hearts and minds. |
Stand and be counted |
What keeps you up at night? Gut Check America wants you to tell us what really matters to our country. Click here to learn more and get involved. |
TAUNTON, Mass. - A 53-year-old wife and mother fatally shot herself shortly after faxing a letter to her mortgage company saying that by the time they foreclosed on her house that day, she would be dead.
Police said that Carlene Balderrama used her husband's high-powered rifle to kill herself Tuesday afternoon, shortly after faxing the letter at 2:30 p.m.
The mortgage company called police, who found Balderrama's body at 3:30 p.m. The auction was scheduled to start at 5 p.m. and interested buyers arrived at the property in Taunton, about 35 miles south of Boston, while Balderrama's body was still inside, according to Taunton police chief Raymond O'Berg.
Police did not immediately release the name of the mortgage company. O'Berg said Balderrama's fax read, in part, "By the time you foreclose on my house I'll be dead."
Click for related content |
O'Berg also said a suicide note found next to Balderrama told her husband, John, and 24-year-old son to "take the (life) insurance money and pay for the house."
Joe Whitney, who works with Balderrama's husband, a plumber, said that Balderrama handled the bills and her husband didn't know about the foreclosure.
"John didn't even know about it, that's the surprise," Whitney told The Boston Globe. "It's just one of those awful, awful tragic events."
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
- Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM LIFE |
 Life Section Front |
| Add Life headlines to your news reader: |