8/3/2019 Dr Robert Blackburn DO2

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UPDATE-MURDER/SUICIDE Dr. Robert Blackburn & Sarah Blackburn On January 10,2010, Hernando County Deputies began an investigation into the deaths of Dr. RobertG. Blackburn age 55 and his wife Sarah Blackburn age 40, found at their residencelocated at 6492 Laurel Oak Dr, in the Lake in the Woods subdivision in Spring Hill.

The investigation has revealed the following information; on January 10, 2010, atapproximately 11:30 am, Dr. Blackburn's long time friend and office manager, RuthHooch age 51, received a call from Dr. Blackburn asking that she come to hisresidence. Mrs. Hooch arrived at approximately 12:50 pm and was brought into theresidence by Dr. Blackburn. Dr. Blackburn told Mrs. Hooch that Sarah had threatenedto ruin him, take his children and everything he owned. Dr. Blackburn went on to tellMrs. Hooch that Sarah had stabbed him and he killed her and he didn't want to go toprison so he was going to kill himself. Dr. Blackburn showed Mrs. Hooch where hekept important documents inside the home and wanted assurance from Mrs. Hooch thatshe would make sure his children were taken care of. Mrs. Hooch said she tried to talkDr. Blackburn out of committing suicide but Blackburn forced her out of the residence.

At 1:26 pm, Mrs. Hooch called 911 from her vehicle which was parked on the streetoutside of the Blackburn residence and she waited for deputies to arrive.

At 1:32 pm, Deputies arrived and discovered the bodies of Sarah Blackburn and RobertBlackburn dead inside the closet of the master bedroom. A small caliber handgun wasfound next to Dr. Blackburn's body. His body was lying next to Sarah on the closetfloor.

An autopsy was conducted today and the Medical Examiners report indicated thatSarah Blackburn's death was attributed to several factors which included blunt force

trauma- detailed as extensive trauma to the chest, arms and face, multiple lacerationson the face, broken right collarbone, broken sternum, broken ribs 1-6 on the left and 1-5on the right, a lacerated liver, a lacerated heart, aspirated blood in the lungs,strangulation consistent with the Hyoid bone broken on both sides and a gunshot woundto the head.

The autopsy of Dr. Robert Blackburn revealed that he succumbed to a single selfinflected gunshot wound to the head. During the autopsy, a minor wound which was1/8" deep was found on Dr. Blackburn's chest. Detectives did locate a 2 1/4" bladedinstrument at the crime scene near the bodies.

The Blackburn children are in the care and custody of family members.

The investigation is open pending Medical Examiners toxicology report, but is classifiedas the Murder of Sarah Blackburn by her husband Dr. Robert Blackburn and Suicide ofDr. Robert Blackburn by a self inflected gun shot.