A neighbor told KGW it seemed that the man who shot and killed his wife Tuesday afternoon in West Linn had never recovered after separating from his wife.

KGW Sky 8 photo

Newton Bill McMurtrey and Lisa McMurtrey separated about a year ago.

Neighbor Dusty Calliham said the pair had moved into a Damascus home across the street from her in the mid-1990s and at one point even ran a floral business before separating.

“My husband was good friends with him, he used to go over lately to help him get over the blues,” Calliham said, “but I never expected anything like that to happen.”

Original story: Man kills wife outside West Linn police station

She described Bill McMurtrey as an easy-going man who often helped his neighbors.

“He’d pick up our mail when we were on vacation, take care of our dog, because he had a dog, too, and was just a real fun, happy guy,” she said.

“I never ever would have expected that of him, never,” she added.

KGW has learned that Lisa McMurtrey did not have a restraining order against her estranged husband.

Bill McMurtrey had a DUII but no other criminal history.