The life of a longtime figure on the West Tennessee music scene and local news reporter has ended in tragedy. Steve Short was found dead Thursday at his Milan home, the result of an apparent murder-suicide. He was 70.

Short tickled the ivories with style and a smile behind numerous players and singers over the years, like local entertainers Scott Myatt and Rita Mac, The Bullet Town Trio, and numerous others. He also loved his hometown of Milan and loved to tell its stories.

Within the past two years, Short had retired from the Milan Mirror-Exchange after 40 years, where he served as a reporter and later as associate editor.

Milan Police Chief Bobby Sellers told News Talk 101.5 in an interview with Brad McCoy Thursday afternoon that Short died in an apparent murder-suicide. MPD had been asked by a family member who lives out of town to make a welfare call to the home of Short and his wife, Susan, Thursday morning. Their bodies were discovered in an upstairs bedroom.

“Steve Short died of what appeared to be multiple gunshots. She had died of what looked like a self-inflicted gunshot,” Chief Sellers said on the “Keepin’ It Real” show hosted by McCoy.

The bodies will undergo autopsies in Memphis to confirm the cause of death and could answer other questions as well.

Chief Sellers says he released the names to News Talk 101.5 because the daughters of the couple had been notified and that the home was recognizable to so many in Milan, that word had gotten out earlier in the day.

Chief Sellers confirms that there was a note left by Susan Short that gave investigators a strong indication of what happened, but added “until the autopsies are complete the investigation remains open.”

Steve Short is being remembered by fellow musicians and singers.

“[He was] an encourager, musically and otherwise,” said Rita Mac. “He was also the wordsmith of the group, Rita Mac and Different Drum. Steve was the musical director, photographer, videographer and sometimes wrangler. But most of all he was a friend.”

Short performed most often with Scott Myatt.

“[Steve] always challenged me to play songs that I never thought I could play,” Myatt said. “It was the most satisfying collaboration I’ve ever had. I will miss the love we shared for music theory.

“We were just a couple of music nerds when we got together. My heart goes out to he and Susan’s two daughters.”