Suspected murder-suicide investigated

SIKESTON -- The homicide-suicide of a Sikeston couple at their home is under investigation.

At 4:43 a.m. Tuesday Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a request to check the well being of a couple at 1206B Lawrence Drive, according to a news release from Capt. Mike Williams of Sikeston DPS. The request was from a friend who said they had been unable to contact the couple since Saturday.

"The initial responding officers were unable to make contact with couple. All the apartment's doors and windows were locked, and the couple's car was also parked in front," Williams said in the release.

Further information and facts led the officers to forcibly enter the apartment, Williams said. Once inside, they discovered Candace M. Baum, 26, and James E. Wilder, 58, who were both dead and in the living room of the apartment. The scene was secured and held for investigation.

A joint investigation involving Sikeston's Criminal Investigation Unit and New Madrid County Coroner George DeLisle determined Baum was a victim of domestic homicide and Wilder committed suicide, both involving a firearm

The investigation is still ongoing and Sikeston Department of Public Safety asks anyone with information to help with the investigation to contact Sikeston DPS Criminal Investigation Unit at 573-471-4711; private-message the Sikeston Department of Public Safety Facebook page; or visit Sikeston DPS at 201 S. Kingshighway in Sikeston.

More information will be released as new information develops.

The Standard Democrat will post further details as they become available.