Michigan family speaks out about domestic abuse after apparent murder-suicide

EATON RAPIDS, Mich. (WILX) - A tragic case of alleged abuse that turned deadly.

A husband, who reportedly struggled with addiction, is believed to have shot his wife and himself Wednesday morning in Eaton Rapids.

The couple’s oldest son wants to share their story in the hope of saving lives.

Deborah Fulger’s son Chris broke his silence Friday to tell his mother’s story and the legacy she left behind. She was a loving mother, grandmother and friend.

“We have lots and lots of photos of mom,” Chris Fulger said. “She loved every moment with her grandkids. Babysitting was the highlight of her life.”

He flipped through photo after photo of precious moments, both big and small. Fulger said she had a smile you can’t miss and a laugh you can’t forget.

“She had a Siamese cat that had given birth to a litter of kittens that needed care every two hours and she woke up every two hours,” Fulger said. “That’s who my mother was. She was loving and caring for everything and everyone.”

But behind her smile, Deborah Fulger was suffering. What started off as little fights with her husband slowly escalated into violence. Chris said drug addiction was a large part of that.

It wasn’t always obvious and it wasn’t always black eyes and bruises.

“It was years of a slow process of working someone down and eating away at their confidence and themselves,” Chris Fulger said. “And so, they stay quiet and they allow it to happen and, because things escalate slowly, you may not realize that it’s getting worse and worse until it’s too late. And this event is too late.”

Her family said Debbie did everything right. She filed for divorce and even got a personal protection order. Her family tried as much as they could to get her out of the situation.

Police believe Chris’ father shot Debbie to death before he turned the gun on himself just 10 days after he was arrested after allegedly assaulting her. He was released on bond at the time.

“I’m frustrated that my father was allowed out of jail so easily in this situation,” Christ said.

He wants to continue sharing her story in hopes that it can save somebody else’s friend, grandmother and mom.

The family is asking people to donate to End Violent Encounters, a Lansing-based nonprofit that supports survivors of domestic violence. You can donate here.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers anonymous assistance and support without judgment. It can be reached 24/7 at 800-799-7233.

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