Couple in murder-suicide left notes saying they couldn’t afford medical care, police say.

A Washington state couple whom authorities believe died by murder-suicide reportedly left several notes expressing worry that they could not afford treatment for the wife’s severe medical issues.

The husband, 77, called 911 shortly before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday and told the dispatcher that he planned to shoot himself, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The man said he had written a note for the sheriff with information and instructions.

The dispatcher tried to keep the caller on the phone, according to authorities, but the man said, “We will be in the front bedroom” and hung up.

Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the house near Ferndale about 15 minutes later and tried to contact the residents with a phone and a megaphone for about an hour, authorities said. They said deputies then used a robot-mounted camera and saw the couple, who were dead from gunshot wounds.

The couple have been identified as Brian S. Jones and Patricia A. Whitneyjones, 76, county Medical Examiner Gary Goldfogel said. Jones shot his wife once in the head, then himself three times, Goldfogel said.

“It is very tragic that one of our senior citizens would find himself in such desperate circumstances where he felt murder and suicide were the only option,” Sheriff Bill Elfo said inastatement.“helpis always available with a call to 9-1-1.”

Health care spending in the U.S. has been increasing for decades, and costs for senior citizens are higher than those for citizens