Former co-worker never saw violence coming in Marana murder-suicide | Crime

MARANA, Ariz. (KVOA) – A former employee of chiropractor Brian Schnurr is speaking out after Marana police say he shot and killed his ex-wife Mikaela Durfey on Memorial Day before turning the gun on himself. Sources close to the investigation say the incident happened in front of their children.

Anastasia Kucherenko told News 4 Tucson she worked for Schnurr for several years starting when he relocated his practice, “Dove Mountain Chiropractic & Massage,” to the northwest side in 2019. She said in the years that followed Durfey and Schnurr got married and were working on a future together.

Kucherenko said Schnurr would talk about normal relationship struggles at work, such as finances, having kids and even what’s for dinner.

“What I was exposed to and heard was just your struggles that I had mentioned. I didn’t ever think it would revert to violence,” Kucherenko said.

Schnurr’s practice now says “Sorry we are closed until further notice” on its doors. Kucherenko said she never had any issues working for Schnurr.

A former patient, who wished to remain anonymous, said that while Schnurr treated her kindly, she also sensed what she described as “unresolved anger” during conversations about his marriage.

She provided a lengthy statement, writing in part, “At the same time, in conversations over time, I personally sensed unresolved anger and deep hurt beneath the surface. When he would speak about his wife, it was rarely in a positive way, and I remember feeling unsettled by some of the emotion behind those conversations. Of course, it may have been because he felt comfortable venting to someone who did not know her personally,” the former patient said.

Kucherenko said the violence came as a shock to Schnurr’s current employees.

“You never think the end of it will be death. I just thought it would be a conclusion, not this type of conclusion though,” she said.

Marana police are asking anyone with information related to this case to contact the Marana Police Department at (520) 382-2000.