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Estranged couple dead in Manatee murder-suicide

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An estranged couple in Manatee County is dead following an apparent murder-suicide.  
 
The husband's mother is also recovering in the hospital after being hit by bullets.
 
A quiet, gated community near Lakewood Ranch was the scene of the violent crime just after midnight Tuesday.  
 
Manatee County deputies say David Mahoney, Jr. and his estranged wife Alicia got into an argument inside the home's garage, that led to David shooting Alicia, then himself.  
 
David's mother, Sharon Mahoney, was also hit by the gunfire.
 
"It's just sad all the way around," said neighbor Lee Tadelman.
 
Some neighbors say they'd heard fighting between the couple a lot, since David moved in with his parents a few months ago. The couple shared a young child, now left without both parents.
 
Neighbors are also disturbed that the murder-suicide comes soon after an elderly couple on the same block was stabbed by their son.
 
"It's crazy.  You still never think something would happen in your neighborhood like this," said Tadelman.
 
Laurel Lynch with Hope Family Services of Manatee County says sadly, this kind of case is all too common.
 
"Ninety-five percent of the people killed in Florida, when we check our records, never reach out to a center like Hope for help," Lynch said.
 
Lynch says she can't stress enough that if you're worried there might be a red flag in your relationship, to call the domestic violence hotline (800-500-1119).  They'll walk you through it and get you the help you need, both in the short and long term.
 
"After we address any immediate concerns right then and there on the phone, we start talking about things like safety planning, what the courts can and can't do to help, counseling, your children--how safe are they.   So we'll ask very specific questions and help the person arrived at some sort of feeling of safety," said Lynch.
 
Sometimes that's going to one of the seven shelters in the Tampa Bay area.  Other times it's pointing you to the next best step.  The goal is always to prevent deadly consequences for everyone involved.
 
ABC Action News is committed to Taking Action Against Domestic Violence.  You can learn more, and get connected to resources in your area, by heading to abcactionnews.com/dv