Investigating officials rule death of Olds man as suicide

OLDS ? The death of John A. Harville was ruled a suicide according to a press release from Iowa Department of Public Safety.

Wednesday afternoon at approximately 4:30 p.m., Debra Layton-Harville, 50, of Olds called 911 to report she had been badly beaten by her husband, Harville, 43, of Olds. She indicated to the dispatcher that Harville was still at the residence and had a gun.

While Layton-Harville was speaking to the dispatch a single gunshot was heard in the background.

Upon arriving at the residence at 201 South Smith Street, officers made contact with Layton-Harville who had sustained multiple injuries to her face. She reported that she had been tied up and assaulted by her husband for several hours.

Officers searched the house and discovered Harville on the kitchen floor with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. A .380 semi-automatic handgun was found in his hand; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Layton-Harville was transported to the University of Iowa Hospital for treatment of her injuries.

An autopsy conducted Thursday determined that Harville died as the result of a close contact gunshot wound to the head, consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the Henry County Sheriff?s Office and Iowa State Patrol, conducted an investigation into the domestic assault and the death of Harville.