The individual who called police to the scene of what has been
ruled a homicide-suicide Thursday morning was not at all related to
the victims or in any way aware of the events that led to the
couple’s deaths, investigators said.

Foster Township Police officer Tom Munn told The Era Friday he
wanted to clarify a point regarding the investigation into the
double shooting that resulted in the death of Lauren and Sala Dart
Thursday.

“The decedents were getting assistance to have an oil well
plugged on their property,” Munn said, explaining an individual had
arrived at the Dart residence at 644 Seaward Ave. Thursday morning
to get a signature from one of the Darts to get the well work
started.

“That individual had a similar name to the one that was left on
the note,” Munn said, referring to the letter posted on the Darts’
front door Thursday morning. The letter was actually left for a
family member, he said, and the individual mistakenly thought it
was for him. When he read it, he realized police were likely needed
at the scene.

“He never entered the residence,” Munn said.

Lauren Dart, 71, and his wife, Sala, 62, died of single gunshot
wounds to the chest and were discovered in their home at about
10:30 a.m. Thursday. Police have ruled the incident a
homicide-suicide.

McKean County Coroner Mike Cahill has ruled the official cause
of death for both of the Darts to be single gunshot wounds to the
chest delivered by a pistol. He has yet to rule on the manner of
death.

Both Cahill and the police, however, agree that the pair planned
the incident together and took action cooperatively resulting in
their own deaths.

Lauren Dart was to be sentenced in McKean County Court Thursday
– the same day the Darts were found dead in their home – after
pleading guilty to insurance fraud and theft charges in April.