The Tremont husband and wife who were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide on Mount Desert Island late last month left behind evidence that they planned to take their own lives, their family says.
William Hawley, 75, and Jyoti Hawley, 78, were found dead near Big Rocks Road on the morning of Dec. 23, police said. They both died of gunshot wounds, with autopsy results showing that Jyoti Hawley died by homicide and William Hawley died by suicide, according to Maine State Police.
In a statement shared with the Press Herald, the Hawleys’ family said the two left behind hand-signed instructions that showed they had made a “planned, mutual decision” to take their own lives.
“They were a loving couple, soulmates since they met in the early 1970s, and we will remember them for the substantial musical offerings, spiritual gifts, and the light they brought into our lives,” the statement reads.
Southwest Harbor police Chief John Hall confirmed the Hawleys’ deaths were a “mutual” decision in an email Friday afternoon.
The family’s statement, shared by William Hawley’s brother Kipp on Thursday night, asked for privacy as the family grieves and said a “fuller account” would soon be posted to William Hawley’s website and shared with the media.
William Hawley was a composer whose work was performed globally, according to his website, which describes him as a longtime New York resident who later moved to Maine with his wife.
A spokesperson for the Maine State Police did not immediately respond to phone or email inquiries Friday about the status of the investigation into the Hawleys’ deaths.
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