Authorities have now identified the victim as 51-year-old Melissa Conrad and the suspect as 55-year-old Matthew Fell.
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Action News has confirmed he worked for the Merced County Association of Governments for many years before resigning in December of 2021.
He was the Deputy Director for Transportation Planning.
The investigation started when police were called for a welfare check on White Fir Court near Wooddale Avenue in Merced Thursday evening.
RELATED: Woman killed in apparent murder-suicide involving husband in Merced, police say
They were contacted by a family friend when Conrad did not pick up her child from school.
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After not being able to reach either parent, officers entered the home and found her dead.
They began searching for her husband and learned he was hit and killed by a train about 11 miles from their home that same day.
Detectives believe Fell took his own life by stepping in front of the train after murdering Conrad.