A longtime New York firefighter fatally shot his wife inside their home, allegedly tried to cover up what happened, and then died by suicide, authorities said.
James “Jimmy” Brugger, 66, and his wife, Melinda “Mindy” Brugger, 54, were found dead at their Ulster County home shortly before midnight on Friday, Aug. 21.
According to the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, a family member and that person’s friend discovered the couple unconscious and called 911.
Deputies and emergency crews arrived at the home at around 11:42 p.m., where both Jimmy and Mindy were pronounced dead.
What initially appeared to be a shocking double death quickly turned into a murder-suicide investigation.
Detectives said they discovered evidence suggesting someone had attempted to conceal what happened and tampered with items inside the home.
Investigators ultimately concluded that Jimmy shot Mindy multiple times.
Authorities allege that after killing his wife, Jimmy tampered with evidence and removed evidence connected to the shooting from the home.
Once the scene had allegedly been altered, Jimmy died by suicide, according to investigators.
The Sheriff’s Office said the murder-suicide appeared to stem from unresolved domestic issues between the couple.
Both Jimmy and Mindy were well known in the area’s first responder community.
Jimmy had served as a lieutenant with the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department and was also chief of the Plattekill Fire Department.
He retired from the Poughkeepsie department in 2025 after more than 27 years of service.
Mindy worked as an EMT and CPR instructor within the Westchester Medical Center network and was remembered by colleagues as someone devoted to helping others.
In the days following the deaths, local fire departments publicly mourned Mindy while strongly condemning Jimmy’s actions.
The City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department’s Local 596 said its members were “devastated” by Mindy’s death.
“Mindy was a bright light and a friend to so many of us,” the union wrote in a Facebook statement on Tuesday, Aug. 25. “Her loss is deeply felt throughout our department and the larger first responder community.”
The union acknowledged Jimmy’s decades of service but made clear that his career did not excuse what authorities say he did.
“While we acknowledge his years of service, there is absolutely no place in our profession, our union, or our community for an act as horrific and deplorable as this,” the statement said.
The union added that Jimmy’s alleged actions “do not represent the values of the members of Local 596, nor do they diminish the respect and gratitude we have for those who have served honorably.”
The statement went even further in condemning Mindy’s killing.
“What happened to Mindy was a deplorable act of violence that took the life of an innocent woman,” the union said. “Whatever struggles a person may face, there is never an excuse for murdering another human being.”
“No amount of years in the fire service, no accomplishments, and no personal history can diminish that truth. Mindy deserved better.”
The Plattekill Fire Department released a similar statement on Monday, Aug. 24, remembering Mindy for her dedication to the community.
“Mindy dedicated herself to helping others,” the department wrote. “Her compassion, commitment, and service made a lasting impact on our department, the fire and EMS community, and the many people whose lives she touched.”
The department also distanced itself from Jimmy’s actions.
His “actions were his own and do not represent the values of the Plattekill Fire Department, the fire service, or the members who continue to serve this community with honor, compassion, and respect for human life,” the statement said.
The deaths have left a community of first responders grieving one of their own while also confronting allegations that another longtime member of that same community was responsible for her killing.
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