BETHESDA - Authorities are still investigating the apparent murder-suicide of Bethesda residents Frank and Bonnie Koci on Thursday evening.

Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson said that sheriff's deputies responded to a call of a domestic incident at the Koci's Noon Road location at approximately 5:30 p.m.

They interviewed both Frank and Bonnie Koci and after accessing the seemingly calm situation, left without making any arrests because no charges were filed.

Approximately an hour later, a member of the Koci family came to the Noon Road residence and discovered both residents deceased on the living room floor.

Mrs. Koci appeared to be ready to leave, according to Thompson, as she was found with a piece of luggage and a fanny-pack around her body.

Thompson speculated that Frank Koci shot his wife as she was attempting to leave, and then turned the gun on himself.

Events escalated quickly from the time sheriff's deputies left to the time the office received a call about the shooting, but as Thompson explained, his deputies were unable to detain either party after the conclusion of their initial interviews.

"The deputies talked to both of the Kocis and neither one of them indicated there was any kind of physical assault," Thompson said. "In order for the deputy to make an arrest, there has to be an indication of an assault, threat of an assault or some type of injuries."

Thompson explained that it was a third-party call his office received in regards to the domestic dispute, but by the time deputies arrived on seen at approximately 5:30 p.m., everything appeared quiet.

"Mr. Koci answered the door and kind of wondered why we were there," Thompson said.

While Ohio does have a Preferred Arrest Policy, the detainee of one or more of the alleged parties is not mandatory, especially given the calm circumstances the deputies found upon arriving at the scene. Thompson also said the couple had no prior history of domestic issues.

Frank Koci is reported to have used a semi-automatic 9 millimeter handgun to inflict the fatal shot on his wife, hitting her in the chest. He then shot himself in the head.

Thompson said that while deputies were on scene, they noticed a small collections of guns in a gun cabinet, but that the cabinet was locked and the handgun in question was not seen out in the open.

Ohio code does dictate that on a domestic call, if a weapon has been brandished or threatened to be used, the gun must be confiscated according to the Contraband Seizure and Forfeiture Law contained in section 2933.43.

"There wasn't any brandishing or mention of the murder weapon by either party during the deputies interviews," Thompson said.

The sheriff said two of the couple's grandchildren were witness to the original argument that brought about the first call. The children's father came to pick them up while deputies were questioning the Koci's, but even he didn't mention that anything was out of the ordinary.

"The son-in-law came to pick up the children, but he didn't mention anything to the contrary to the officers that something wasn't right," Thompson said.

Frank Koci retired two years ago after serving as a school administrator in both the Barnesville and Union Local school districts. Bonnie Koci most recently served as a kindergarten teacher for Union Local Schools.