Deaths of two reported chain saw victims ruled murder-suicide

    The deaths of a Philadelphia-area husband and wife found with gaping wounds that their son said were caused by a chain saw have been ruled a murder-suicide.

    Montgomery County Coroner Walter Hofman said Wednesday that 41-year-old Nicole Peppelman was killed and 48-year-old Christopher Peppelman took his own life.

    Police in Lower Moreland Township had said the couple’s son reported finding his parents unresponsive, “with lacerations from a chain saw,” when he got home Tuesday.

    Dr. Walter Hofman said both bled to death due to “gaping sharp-force injuries” to the abdomen and in the husband’s case, also to the right thigh.

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    Nicole Peppelman also was choked and stabbed.

    Hofman declined to say what caused the deep cutting wounds. But authorities said earlier that a chain saw was recovered from the house.

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