By Fallan Patterson
Staff Writer

On a quiet street in peaceful St. Cloud violence shattered the night air Tuesday when a domestic dispute turned deadly after a wife ran for her life and was shot by her husband on a neighbor's front porch.

At that point, Leo English grabbed his own handgun and shot Christopher in the stomach. Christopher managed to get back to his home where he shot himself with the rifle in the doorway of 833 Chamberlin Trail inside the Indian Lakes subdivision off Michigan Avenue.

Margaret, 37, was transported to St. Cloud Regional Medical Center where she died. Christopher, 36, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The couple was having problems, Roberts said, based on what family members told police. However, relatives did not indicate to police that the Durinicks were in the midst of a divorce or had previous domestic violence incidents.

According to Roberts, police are still trying to determine if Christopher had a permit for his rifle. Leo English does not hold a concealed weapons permit, however, his wife holds an expired permit. Leo English is not being charged or investigated by St. Cloud police for his involvement in the incident.

“He had every right to defend himself, our victim and his family,” Roberts said. “It's actually a heroic act that he did.”

The Durinicks' three children, ages 6, 3 and 1, were asleep inside the home at the time of the incident, Roberts said.

The children were taken in by relatives Tuesday night. Florida Department of Children and Families spokeswoman Elizabeth Arenas said the agency is prepared to offer grief counseling for the family and children.

The Durinicks' home, just a short walk to the community pool and a small playground, was still surrounded by police and biohazard tape late Wednesday afternoon as crews completed their cleanup of the home. The beige home with a glass front door sits on a well-manicured lawn with a lake near the backyard. A small stone plaque adhered to a front column welcomed guests.

“We were very shocked,” Leo English said Wednesday afternoon while standing on his front porch. “We were worried about the kids the whole time. They were very good friends and neighbors.”

The Englishes purchased their home at 827 Chamberlin Trail six years ago, about the same time the Durinicks bought their home.

Leo English said his family “socialized quite a bit” with the Durinicks, celebrating the children's birthdays and having barbecues at the Durinick's home. The parties included Christopher Durinick's father and two brothers, whom the Englishes said also live in Indian Lakes.

Christopher's Facebook profile contains a post from Feb. 25 that reads “I love you margret(sic)..thank you for being my wife” and on several occasions thanked his wife for “dealing with” him.

Margaret's Facebook profile states she was a greeter at Universal Studios, a fan of Harry Potter and was originally from Patchogue, NY.

“(They were) perfect neighbors,” Karen English said. “We're really going to miss them.”

This was the second murder-suicide in St. Cloud in less than two weeks – the first occurred Feb. 19 when Will Johnson killed his ex-girlfriend, Jessica Muller, and then himself in his car on Canoe Creek Road.