Missouri gunman kills 7

She ran to a neighbor's house and called police, say investigators in Tyrone, Missouri. Authorities then found a trail of death that was so staggering, a state trooper lost count at a news conference, CNN reports. Seven people, all gunshot victims, were found dead in four residences in the small town of 50 people. One person managed to survive, and she was found wounded in one of the homes. The gunman also was found dead Friday morning in a GMC pickup after going to another county more than 15 miles away, where he apparently shot himself. He was identified Friday as Joseph Jesse Aldridge, 36, who was believed to be a cousin to four of the seven slain victims, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said. And, in a twist to their probe, investigators happened upon another body -- that of an elderly woman -- in a fifth home, though it appears that she died of natural causes, authorities said. That person turned out to be the gunman's mother, Alice L. Aldridge, 74, and a post-mortem exam will be performed Saturday on her body, authorities said. It was unclear Friday whether her death was connected to the case, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeff Kinder said. The gunman's finding his mother dead could be a motive, "but it would speculation for us to say that is the case," Kinder told CNN. "We're examining of a lot of different avenues now." The gunman "had been (living) with her for quite some time," said Texas County, Missouri, Sheriff James Sigman. The shooter didn't leave a note, so investigators are asking family and neighbors about a possible motive, the sheriff said. Full story