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Twin Sisters Found Dead In Their Home, One Death Ruled A Suicide
Crime scene tape (Photo by mervas via Shutterstock)
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The bodies of a pair 58-year-old twin sisters were discovered by police in their Long Beach home.
A few weeks ago neighbors noticed something was awry at the Naples home where Valerie and Diane Blackler had lived together for 30 years. The lights were left on, mail was piling up and one neighbor reported smelling something foul. Police conducted a welfare check on the ladies Saturday night and found their bodies. The coroner's office ruled Valerie's death a suicide but they haven't yet made any ruling on Diane's death, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The sisters did everything together: they carpooled together to their jobs as nurses, went to Disneyland, took walks around the neighborhood and collected antiques. Neighbor Marilyn Bittle told the Orange County Register that the women were always well-dressed and put-together, and they bore a resemblance to Barbara Eden from "I Dream of Jeannie."
The pair were described as private but polite to their neighbors, who were puzzled over exactly what would have happened. Bittle told the Times, "They were very lovely ladies."
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UPDATE 10:15 a.m.: Valerie Blackler was found hanging inside her home, coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter told City News Service.
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone, remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt, and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
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