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Police: Former School Principal And Her Mom Died Of Gunshot Wounds

The mother and daughter were found shot to death in their home.

By Gina Tron

On Thursday, police released previously withheld information about the deaths of a mother and daughter who were found dead in their Fresno, California home in mid-December. Now, police reveal that Jennifer DuPras, 55, and Cynthia Houk, 88, died of gunshot wounds. DuPras was a former school principal. Houk was a widow of a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer.

"Both victims died as a result of gunshot wounds and nobody has been ruled out. We are still investigating this, we have a lot of forensic evidence that we've sent to lab for testing, we're waiting for the return of that evidence now,” Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims stated, according to Your Central Valley.

Police said that there was no evidence of a forced entry in the home. According to the Fresno Bee, no arrests have been made and it is unclear if police have any suspects in mind. Police also have not officially or publicly ruled the deaths a homicide yet.

One neighbor last saw DuPras on Dec. 7 as she was taking out the trash, according to the Fresno Bee. The former principal was seen a day later walking a dog. A newspaper left at the mother and daughter's door on Dec. 9' appeared to have been picked up. A delivered newspaper on Dec. 10 was not.

Detectives are looking to the public for help. Anyone with information, particularly about anything suspicious happening from Dec. 8 to Dec. 11, is asked to contact sheriff’s dispatch at 559-600-3111, Detective Juan Galindo at 559-600-8215 or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867 (STOP). Tips can be made anonymously. Cash rewards are potentially available for those with valuable information.

Police are also trying to get surveillance footage from the area.

At a memorial for the slain women, DuPras’ only child Ailson Dupras stated, "My mom was just the like classiest woman ever... she was the person that, you know, if we were going out to lunch she would say you pick whatever you want, whatever makes you happy. It was really never about her.”

[Photo: Facebook]

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