LONGVIEW, TX – A local man was charged with first-degree murder after his wife was found shot to death inside their home, capping a sequence of events that began with a welfare check and ended with the suspect hospitalized for an apparent suicide attempt.
Police were dispatched to the residence on September 22 after concerns were raised about the wellbeing of those inside. When officers entered the home, they discovered Kathleen Bullock, 62, dead in a bathroom, the victim of a gunshot wound.
Investigators soon identified her husband, Lavan Bullock, 66, as the primary suspect in her death. According to court records, Lavan Bullock allegedly acknowledged responsibility for his wife’s killing in a series of text messages, confessing that he had shot her and citing ongoing personal struggles.
Shortly after the shooting, authorities say Lavan Bullock attempted to end his own life by consuming a significant number of sleeping pills. Emergency responders transported him to a local hospital, where he was treated for what police described as non-life-threatening injuries. After his release, he was taken into custody and booked at the Gregg County Jail.
Friends and neighbors described a troubling backdrop to the incident. According to statements provided to investigators, Kathleen Bullock had recently asked her husband for a divorce. Lavan Bullock reportedly suspected his wife of infidelity, which may have contributed to mounting tensions in the household.
In his text exchanges after the fatal shooting, Lavan Bullock communicated with a friend, asking for both a preacher to be contacted and for the couple’s daughter to be kept away from the home. He expressed remorse in his messages, writing that he was sorry for how events had unfolded.
Investigators reviewing the case also referenced allegations by Lavan Bullock that he had suffered years of abuse, according to information gathered from text messages. Law enforcement continues to piece together the dynamics leading up to the fatal shooting.
At his initial court appearance in September, a judge set Lavan Bullock’s bond at $1 million. He remains incarcerated, with court proceedings ongoing.
Police have not indicated whether additional charges will be filed as the investigation continues. Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact local authorities.