The Allegheny County Department of Police released a statement on Tuesday in regards to a violent domestic dispute at a Wilkins Township, Penn. home that resulted in the death of a beloved professor.
Reports indicate that officers were called to the residence earlier in the morning after a third party had informed authorities of a stabbing and a woman in possession of a firearm.
When local law enforcement received no response from the inhabitants of the home, they requested assistance from a SWAT team. Upon entering, the SWAT team discovered the lifeless bodies of Dr. Marinus Iwuchukwu, aged 59, and his wife Charte Dunn, aged 50.
Both of the individuals suffered from stab wounds, as reported by the press release. Dunn additionally had a gunshot wound that was self-inflicted. The cause of the fatal altercation is unknown.
The two had been married since 2017, as confirmed by sources examined by the Duquesne Duke. Even though Dr. Iwuchukwu had applied for a divorce in 2020, the separation had not yet been completed.
Dr. Iwuchukwu, who held a Doctorate in Systematic Theology and an M.A. in Journalism from Marquette University, was born in Nigeria. Duquesne University, where he had been an Associate Professor of Theology since 2008, confirmed his employment. His areas of expertise included interreligious dialogue, inclusive religious pluralism, and media & religion. He was also the author and editor of several books.
A spokesperson from Duquesne University declared the professor’s passing to be a
“tragedy for all involved.” Marisa Captline, a student assistant who briefly worked with the dececeased professor, told the Duquesne Duke that Iwuchukwu was “genuinely, just such a kindhearted person.”