Victims of murder-suicide were both shot in the head

Preliminary autopsy results released Tuesday show that a man and woman found dead at a home on a private rural road in Bell County both died of gunshot wounds to the head and that the woman fired the deadly shots.

Brian Lee Hand, 38, and Ana Christina Hernandez, 47, both of 1608 Charping Lane, were found dead Sunday.

The preliminary autopsy reports released Monday says the manner of Hand’s death was homicide, and the manner of Hernandez’s death was suicide, indicating that she shot him and then turned the gun on herself.

Friends went to check on the two and discovered the bodies just after 5 p.m. Sunday.

“When they arrived they could not get an answer at the door,” sheriff’s Lt. Donnie Adams said Monday.

“When they looked into the widows they observed a person lying in bed with some type of wound,” he said.

Both victims appeared to have been shot to death, he said.

Justice of the Peace David Barfield pronounced the two dead at the scene and ordered the autopsies.

A number of rental properties on Charping Drive are owned by the widow of former Bell County Constable Lloyd Charping, Adams said.

Charping served as a constable from 1997 to 2000.

He died in April.