According to the article in the March 1, 2005 edition of the Daily News, "Cop in Apparent murder-Suicide", an NYPD police officer shot and killed his girlfriend, and then turned the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide plot. Police believe the man, Officer Finbarr Mahon, reacted as a result of guilt felt by falling in love with another woman. The couple had been together for 16 years (Bode, 2005). .

             One might ask if the couple appeared to have problems. According to neighbors, the couple appeared to be very happy. They had been seen as recently as the Friday prior to the incident, holding hands and laughing (Bode, 2005). Reports such as these, and others from friends and family, indicate that the couple was, at least externally, very happy with one another.

             Why would the police office have killed himself and his girlfriend, rather than seeking counseling, or other therapy? According to a study by Davis (2001), a little-discussed form of occupational related domestic violence may be the cause. According to Davis, police officers are often under significant amounts of stress. This stress may blend into their home lives, causing feelings of unhappiness and isolation. When arguments occur in the home, the situation can lead to spontaneous acts of violence (Davis, 2001). In the case of Officer Mahon, his position as a firearms expert served to further entice his actions, as his job directly related to the repeated use of firearms.

             Could anyone have prevented the situation from occurring? According to Davis, the answer is yes. Studies have shown that supervisors, aware of the stress of police positions, can introduce stress-related classes and therapy sessions for their staff, to ensure that the officers are properly dealing with the situations resulting from their positions (Davis, 2001). Had this occurred in the Mahon case, it is impossible to say whether or not the killing would have occurred.