Methuen, MA – A longtime Methuen police officer and his wife are the victims of a carbon monoxide leak in the couple’s home, according to the Methuen Police Department.
The Essex District Attorney’s Office says an 86-year-old man and 85-year-old woman were victims of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The Methuen Fire Department reports that it responded at about 11 a.m. Saturday to the couple’s home on Holly Street, where the victims were found.
“With something like this, you think inward about yourself and your family, and if this happened. Then you look at their family and what they’re going through now. It’s just terrible, and you don’t think you’re going to go that way,” said neighbor Jay Landry.
“They were community-oriented. They were very much civil servants,” said neighbor Dee Landry.
On Sunday, the Methuen Police Department identified that retired Officer William Rayno and his wife, Matilda, were the victims who died.
According to police, Rayno served the city of Methuen for 32 years as a patrolman and was known as the “father of the police department.”
“He was very well respected throughout the community. He was truly one of the best and his legacy will live on,” reads a post on the Methuen Police Department’s Facebook page.
Family members declined to speak with NewsCenter 5 Saturday night.
The victims have not been officially identified by the district attorney.
Officials say foul play is not suspected in the victims’ deaths, but it remains unclear what caused the carbon monoxide leak.
According to fire officials, the carbon monoxide detectors in the couple’s home were functioning, but that hearing them was an issue.