Coroner identifies man and woman killed in suspected murder-suicide in Merced

The Merced County Sheriff Coroner’s Office has identified a man and woman killed in a suspected murder-suicide in Merced on Feb. 16 as 51-year-old Melissa Conrad and 55-year-old Matthew Steven Fell, according to Deputy Alexandra Britton.

Police said officers found the woman dead with visible injuries inside a home in the 2400 block of White Fir Court while responding to the residence for a welfare check. Authorities went to the home after she reportedly failed to pick up her child from school. When detectives attempted to locate the victim’s husband they learned he was killed in a train-versus-pedestrian incident earlier that day.

According to Britton, Fell was struck and killed by the train Thursday afternoon in the area of Burchell Avenue and Santa Fe Avenue southeast of Planada.

Police said the child was not physically harmed. Authorities said the homicide is being investigated as a murder-suicide.

Police ask anyone with information regarding the incident to contact Detective John Pinnegar at 209-388-7712 or by email at pinnegarj@cityofmerced.org.