Before dawn on August 7, 2017, a family member called 911 from a home on Jonathon Road west of Powell after receiving a disturbing message asking them to come look for a note. Deputies and an ambulance found Mary Ann Bier, 64, of Powell, deceased at the couple’s residence. Born December 22, 1952, in Janesville, Wisconsin, Bier had lived and worked in Wyoming for years, including as a rural postal carrier before retiring.

Investigators focused on John C. Bright, 74, the longtime partner with whom Bier had been living. Authorities said the relationship had recently soured and that Bright learned Bier intended to leave him; investigators reported Bright shot Bier and then killed himself, and a suicide note was found at the home. Both were taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead. Because Bright also died, no arrests or criminal charges were filed.

Officials said they found no sign of prior violence in the relationship. The case is described by law enforcement as a murder-suicide; beyond the call for help, the note, and the couple’s recent breakup, questions remain about the final hours. Does anyone have information about Mary Ann’s last days or the relationship that could shed light on what happened?