Former Plattekill Fire Chief Kills Wife, an EMS Captain, in Murder-Suicide Incident
A former Plattekill Fire Chief and Poughkeepsie City firefighter, James Brugger, 66, shot and killed his wife, Melinda Brugger, 54, a former EMS captain, multiple times before taking his own life on Friday in Plattekill, N.Y. The Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, along with state police and local authorities, responded to the scene after a family member and friend discovered the couple unconscious. After an extensive investigation, police determined that James Brugger murdered his wife, attempted to conceal and tamper with evidence, and then committed suicide. Ulster County records indicate that Melinda Brugger had filed for divorce on July 16 in Ulster County Court. Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa described the incident as a tragic event stemming from unresolved domestic issues, extending condolences to the affected families and the first responder community. 
