Missing Hawaii woman's decomposed remains found on vacant lot after boyfriend kills himself

KEA'AU, Hawaii (TCD) -- A murder-suicide investigation is underway after officials found a missing woman's boyfriend dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Matthew Poole reported his girlfriend, 38-year-old Ashley Kuregian, missing to the Hawai'i Island Police Department on May 21 after she hadn't been seen for a week. Officials responded to a home two days later and announced their presence.

Police heard a loud "pop" similar to a gunshot coming from inside. According to officers, the department’s Special Response Team and Crisis Negotiation Team also responded to the home because they "believed there may be an armed barricaded subject."

Police entered and discovered Poole deceased with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, and they located a firearm nearby. An autopsy later confirmed he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.

During a search of the home, police uncovered information that prompted them to search Orchidland Estates Subdivision for Kuregian's remains. On the evening of May 23, detectives found a body, later identified as Kuregian, in "advanced stages of decomposition" on a vacant undeveloped property. The autopsy revealed she died from a single gunshot wound to the head.