Maryland Couple Found Dead in Suspected Murder-Suicide

Howard County Police are investigating a suspected domestic murder-suicide in Columbia after a couple was found dead inside their home on Summer Blossom Lane. Officers responded after an acquaintance checked on the couple and discovered the bodies of 23-year-old Ahmad Kharma and 47-year-old Shannon Buschner. Police believe Kharma shot and killed Buschner before shooting himself, with a gun recovered near Kharma at the scene. The couple lived together, and authorities do not suspect anyone else was involved; the motive and exact timing of the shooting remain under investigation. This incident comes amid broader concerns about gun violence in Maryland, where the Department of Health recently introduced a public-health-based plan to reduce firearm deaths, including violence prevention, intervention, and community healing. In 2023, Maryland recorded 734 firearm deaths, with most being homicides and suicides, highlighting the ongoing challenge of gun-related violence in the state.