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Estranged husband who killed wife in Peoria dies after self-inflicted gunshot wound

Posted at 3:29 PM, Mar 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-27 16:19:09-04

An estranged husband who shot and killed his wife earlier this month has died after injuries sustained from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

53-year-old David Mattison succumbed to his injuries a week after his wife died. 

Tammy Mattison, 49, died at a local hospital on March 17. The victim's 12-year-old daughter found her and called 911.

Authorities responded to the home and found Tammy Mattison on her apartment floor with a gunshot wound to the head. She was unconscious and unable to speak to officers. 

During the investigation, officers learned that the victim's estranged husband — identified by family members as David Mattison — lives at the same apartment complex but in a separate unit due to relationship issues with Mattison, police said.

Officers went to his unit and found him suffering a single gunshot wound to the head. He was lying on the ground still breathing, officials said. 

Tabitha Mattison, the victim's stepdaughter, explained that she tried to get Tammy to leave her father.

"I told her she has to get out of the situation," Tabitha said. "She said 'I don't want to leave you children here,' she said she would not be able to handle that."

"We believe that the suspect is the one that committed that [ the first ] shooting," a police spokesperson said. "The second one, we are not sure — but it does appear to be self-inflicted."

According to court records, Tammy did file to divorce husband David Mattison in November, and the divorce was set to be finalized March 27.

Tabitha believes her mom's spirit will continue watching over them. "Me and my siblings, we are not going to let this drag us down," Tabitha said. "We are going to make her proud — we are going to do it for her."

A police spokesperson said the 12-year-old girl is now being cared for by extended family.