Emery County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a welfare check call just before 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 17, 2016. The caller stated that she hadn’t heard from her mother all day. The responding deputy had negative contact at the residence. The daughter then stated that she was on her way to the residence and asked if a deputy could be present when she and other family members entered the house. The deputy again tried to get someone to come to the door of the residence, but no one answered.
When family members arrived with a key, a deputy escorted them into the house. They found 55-year old Richard Maxwell pointing a gun to his body. The deputy quickly escorted the family out of the residence. While the deputy and family members were exiting the residence, Maxwell fired one shot.

Additional law enforcement arrived on scene and attempted to talk Maxwell out of the house without success. They then made forced entry and found Maxwell with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound to the torso. He was transported to a hospital for treatment.

During a search of the residence, the body of Richard’s wife, 47-year-old Kristi Maxwell, was discovered. It appeared the victim had been deceased for several hours.

Emery County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch again received a welfare check call today, Monday, August 8, 2016 at a residence in Orangeville where Richard Maxwell had been staying since his release from the hospital just three or four days ago. Upon arrival at the home, Richard Maxwell was found deceased with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound. Richard Maxwell was the only person of interest in the death of his wife.