Protective Order Fails to Save Wife in Murder Suicide in White Plains


LA PLATA, Md. (January 29, 2018)—A White Plains man violated a temporary protective order which had been issued to him the day before; he murdered his wife and then turned the gun on himself Saturday morning, say police. One of three children in the house at the time, having heard the fighting and subsequent gunshots, called 9-1-1; all were ultimately spared any physical harm.

The victim has been identified as Candace Carnathan, 33, and her husband is identified as Calvin Carnathan, 33.

Further investigation by police showed the victim obtained a temporary protective order against her husband on Friday, January 26, which was served to him within an hour of receiving it by members of the CCSO Domestic Violence Unit. In that protective order, the husband was ordered to vacate the house and have no contact with his wife or children. It is not immediately clear what prompted the victim to obtain a protective order.

Police were alerted on Saturday at 7:27 a.m. Officers responded to the 3400 block of Amberton Court in White Plains for the report of unknown trouble. A preliminary investigation showed an adolescent child who lives in the house called 9-1-1 to report a disturbance between his parents. The child advised he was with two siblings (all under the age of 12) and that he thought he heard gunshots. The 9-1-1 call-taker stayed on the phone with the child and instructed him and his siblings to hide in the basement while police responded. Officers arrived within minutes, located the children, and took them to safety. Officers checked the house and found the children's parents deceased in an upstairs bedroom.

Det. C. Shankster is investigating.

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