Westland Police are investigating a murder suicide that left a 20-year-old woman dead late Saturday night. Officers responded to the Woodland Villa Apartments on Drew Circle Drive around 9 p.m. after reports of shots fired. When they arrived, they found both the young woman and a male subject dead from gunshot wounds.
The victim has been identified as Sarah Carroll. Police say this was not a random act. According to her family, Carroll’s ex-boyfriend had been stalking her in recent months. She was in the process of trying to obtain a personal protection order but had not yet shared the full extent of the situation with those closest to her.
Her mother, Jennifer Carroll, said: “You see this happening on the news and you never think it’s going to happen to you… it just doesn’t even seem real, you know.” She urged other parents to stay close to their children and encourage open communication. “She was brilliant, amazing, when she smiled, she lit up a room.”
Her father, James, described Sarah as loved by everyone she met and added: “I’m going to miss my baby.” He also pointed to the role of mental health in the tragedy, saying the suspect had been struggling and warning other families to get help before situations escalate.
“He was suffering from mental illness and we just want to get the message out that if anybody… their children is suffering mental illness, get them some help, get them the help that they need before something like this happens.”
On Sunday evening, friends, relatives, and community members gathered for a balloon release vigil to honor Sarah’s memory. Police say additional details on the case are expected to be released this week.
