Psychiatrist, wife die in murder-suicide

As Reported in the Battle Creek Enquirer - under apparently mysterious circumstances, where the psychiatrist, sadly, could not heal himself.

The deaths of a Livingston County couple, one a psychiatrist who practiced in Battle Creek, have been ruled by police as a likely murder-suicide.

The bodies of John M. Lowenbergh, 65, and his wife Nancy, 62, were found Monday in their burning home in Livingston County's Hamburg Township, where they lived 23 years.

John Lowenbergh practiced at Battle Creek's Behavioral Health Resources at 3630 Capital Ave. S.W., a part of Summit Pointe.

Nancy Lowenbergh died of a single gunshot wound to the head before fire broke out, said Hamburg Township Police Chief Steve Luciano. Her death was ruled a homicide.

John Lowenbergh also had a gunshot wound to the head that police said likely was self-inflicted. But autopsy results indicated he was alive when the fire started and died of smoke inhalation, Luciano said.

"We continue searching for any potential motive or explanation why this terrible tragedy occurred," Luciano said. "Everyone continues to tell us that the Lowenberghs were good people."

Erv Brinker, chief executive officer of Summit Pointe, said Lowenbergh was a part-time contractual employee for the past 18 months, working 20 to 30 hours a week.

"He used computers and technology looking at brain waves," Brinker said Friday. "He was interested in how the brain worked."

Brinker called Lowenbergh an intelligent man. "He was fairly reserved and he worked well with staff and was a personable gentleman. There was no indication there was a problem."

Brinker said word of the deaths was a surprise.

"The staff who worked with him were surprised and greatly saddened," Brinker said.

Before coming to Battle Creek, Lowenbergh was a community faculty member of the Michigan State University Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies.

Lowenbergh had an apartment at the Arbors of Battle Creek at 10 Rambling Road on Battle Creek's south side. Hamburg Township police searched the apartment Friday.

The fire was reported by a man who arrived to plow the Lowenberghs' driveway and saw smoke coming from the home's roof vents. The fire apparently had been set in an upstairs guest bedroom, Luciano said.

The Lowenberghs were found lying side-by-side in their bed, Luciano said. Two dogs in the home were rescued by neighbors.

Firefighters reported that the house was locked and there was no evidence that anyone else was inside. Nothing appeared missing and police said they didn't know of threats against the couple.

A semi-automatic handgun which had been fired twice was found in the bedroom near the bodies, police said.

The couple had been married for 35 years. John Lowenbergh was a practicing psychiatrist and an Army veteran who served in Vietnam. Nancy Lowenbergh was a registered nurse who worked for the University of Michigan Health System.

A memorial service was scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Knox Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor.