Fort Lauderdale

‘Please help us': Police search for car after couple found shot to death at Fort Lauderdale home

Major and Claudette Melvin were found dead on Friday from gunshot wounds

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Police in Fort Lauderdale are investigating after an elderly couple was found shot to death in a home last week.

The discovery was made just before 7:30 p.m. Friday at a home in the 600 block of Southwest 30th Terrace.

Fort Lauderdale Police officials said a family member discovered the victims and contacted another family member who called 911.

When officers responded to the home they found a man and woman suffering from gunshot wounds.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Police and family members identified them as Major and Claudette Melvin, who were 89 and 87 years old.

"We’re asking the public to please help us," said the couple's granddaughter, Keisha Anderson-Francis. "We need to find who murdered my grandparents. It is very important for us to have closure in our lives."

The couple was married for 61 years.

"This is horrible for us to come in and see our grandparents like this being shot, you know, it’s just awful. Awful. Just awful," Anderson-Francis said.

A homicide investigation was begun to determine if foul play was involved and detectives learned the couple's vehicle was missing from their home.

Detectives believe a possible suspect may have taken the car, a 2014 red Ford Fusion with Florida tag LTDQ16.

Anyone with information about the car or the incident is asked to call police at 954-828-5546.

The family has set up a GoFundMe for funeral costs.

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