Man Is Found Dead, Wife Dying in 'Likely Murder-Suicide'

A Leesburg man apparently killed himself after fatally injuring his wife yesterday in their townhouse, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

Leesburg police said they got a 911 call about 4:45 a.m. from a man in the 800 block of Smartts Lane NE in the Potomac Crossing area. They found the body of Inam A. Uddin, 47, in an upstairs bedroom, along with his wife, Nusrat Uddin, 36, who was seriously injured. She was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where she died, police said.

Police said they are investigating the deaths as suspicious, and they are not seeking suspects. They would not discuss the nature of the couple's injuries or causes of death, pending autopsy results, and said the investigation is continuing.

A source familiar with the case, who asked not to be named because the investigation is open, labeled it a "likely murder-suicide."

A note, probably left by Inam Uddin, was found on the front door of the house saying to call police, said Lt. Wes Thompson, a police spokesman. Thompson called the incident an apparent domestic dispute but said a motive was unclear.

Authorities said the couple had three children, ages 5, 12 and 14, who were home at the time but not involved in the incident. The children have been placed with relatives, police said.

"Our hearts go out to the children, and hopefully the family network and support system they have will help them get through this," Thompson said. "It's very traumatic . . . now their lives are turned upside down."

Police and neighbors said that the woman was apparently running a day-care business out of her home but that no other children were inside at the time of the incident.

Next-door neighbor Josh Ashby, 24, said he was shocked by the news, since he did not know the Uddins to argue. He said he did not hear a commotion before police arrived.

Neighbor Shirley Villarroel, 32, said she was scared to learn of violence nearby, so soon after an attack on a couple out for a walk in Lansdowne last month that left a man dead and his wife seriously injured. When Villarroel learned that this was apparently a domestic dispute, much of her fear subsided, she said.

"I'm sorry for them," Villarroel said. "I know they have children."