A California fashion executive and his wife have been found dead at their home, with police investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.
Bryan Walker, 64, and Michelle Min, 63, were discovered with gunshot wounds on Friday, October 2, at their home near the University of California, Berkeley.
Walker and Min were associated with women’s fashion company Bryn Walker, with Min playing a major role in the business.
Police recovered a firearm from the property and are investigating the deaths. Authorities have not formally concluded that the incident was a murder-suicide or publicly established who fired the shots.
However, Min’s brother, Paul Min, has given a different account of events leading up to the couple’s deaths.
Paul said the couple had not been experiencing marital problems but claimed Walker had made risky investments and secretly borrowed against family properties.
According to him, Walker became convinced that he had suffered financial losses exceeding $100 million, and his mental state deteriorated in the weeks before his death.
“He just curled up into a ball, and he was just sobbing like a baby for weeks on end,” Paul said.
The family reportedly became increasingly concerned about Walker and began making arrangements for him to receive institutional care.
Paul claimed that on the morning Walker was expected to be admitted, Walker sent a message to a friend who lived nearby.
“Call 911!” the message reportedly read.
Gunshots were subsequently heard, according to the family’s account.
Paul alleged that Walker shot Michelle while she was outside on the patio with their dog before turning the firearm on himself. That account has not been formally confirmed by investigators.
He also said his sister had remained committed to helping her husband through the financial crisis.
According to Paul, Michelle hired an accountant to examine their finances, with the review reportedly suggesting that their financial position was not as severe as Walker believed.
Investigators were also reported to have recovered a possible suicide note containing passcodes to the couple’s phones.
Police are continuing their investigation into the deaths and have yet to announce a final determination on the circumstances of the shooting.
