Police: 100-year-old man, wife who died in murder-suicide had history of domestic incidents

Police tape marks off a home where the bodies of an elderly couple were found Monday, April 6, 2015, in Elmwood Park, N.J. Prosecutors say a 100-year-old man apparently killed his wife with an ax as she slept in their home, then killed himself in the bathroom with a knife. But it's still not clear what sparked the murder-suicide late Sunday in Elmwood Park. (AP Photo/Northjersey.com, Tony Kurdzuk) (The Associated Press)

People gather across the street from the home where the bodies of an elderly couple were found on Monday, April 6, 2015 in Elmwood Park, N.J. Prosecutors say Michael Juskin, a 100-year-old man, apparently killed his 88-year-old wife, Rosalia with an ax as she slept in their home, then killed himself in the bathroom with a knife. But it's still not clear what sparked the murder-suicide late Sunday in Elmwood Park. (AP Photo/Northjersey.com, Tariq Zehawi) MANDATORY CREDIT (The Associated Press)

ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. – Authorities say an elderly couple who died in an apparent murder-suicide at their northern New Jersey home had a history of domestic incidents.

Elmwood Park police tell The Record (http://bit.ly/1DHkB2D ) that since 2012, officers had responded to three calls at the home of 100-year-old Michael Juskin and his 88-year-old wife, Rosalia. Authorities believe Michael Juskin killed his wife with an ax as she slept late Sunday, then killed himself in the bathroom with a knife.

Family members say Michael Juskin suffered from dementia.

In March 2012, police responding to a 911 call found him to be unstable and took him to a hospital for evaluation. Another call came in September 2013, when Rosalia Juskin claimed he was harassing her.

The third call came Jan. 13, when Rosalia Juskin said her husband had locked her in the basement in his confusion.

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Information from: The Record (Woodland Park, N.J.), http://www.northjersey.com