Minn. Guardsman, wife die in murder-suicide

A Minnesota National Guard soldier and his wife are dead after a murder-suicide in a St. Paul suburb.

Authorities found the bodies of 21-year-old Kalen Pohjonen and his 19-year-old wife, Katherine Pohjonen, in their Vadnais Heights town home Tuesday. Both died of gunshot wounds. A handgun was found at the scene.

The Minnesota National Guard confirms that Kalen Pohjonen was a soldier with the Guard. He enlisted in August 2007 and was scheduled to deploy with his unit in May in support of Operation New Dawn, in Kuwait and Iraq.

Ramsey County sheriff's spokesman Randy Gustafson says a motive for the deaths is not known.

The deaths come three months after a triple homicide in Vadnais Heights. Justus Kebabe pleaded guilty to killing his wife and two children.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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