Stolen gun may have been used to kill Richmond couple. Chief says test incomplete.

The man accused of killing a widely respected Richmond couple may have used a stolen firearm, police said in new court records.

Thomas Birl, 51, was charged with receiving a stolen firearm in addition to two counts of murder following the slayings of Christopher Hager, 54, and Gracie Hager, 52. Both died of gunshot wounds outside a duplex they owned in the city, according to court records.

Richmond Interim Chief of Police Rodney Richardson said police are waiting for the ballistics report, and he “could not give an honest answer” at this time about whether or not the gun investigators found was the same one used to kill the Hagers.

Witnesses told police that they saw Birl holding a black firearm.

According to court records filed on Thursday, 9 mm projectiles were removed from the victims, and 9 mm FC Luger shell casings were found where Birl shot the couple.

A black 9 mm Glock model 17 was found in the bedroom from which Birl leaped via a window after setting the duplex on fire, court documents say. The firearm had one FC Luger round in the chamber and 2 FC Luger 9 mm rounds in the 17-round magazine.

The arrest citation says the firearm investigators found was confirmed stolen out of West Virginia and noted Birl was the only person inside that bedroom and the duplex.

Richardson also said that police “cannot determine” if the Hagers and Birl had met before, and there is no evidence that an eviction notice was being served or discussed. He said the Richmond police have “no records” of contact with Birl in the past.

“I think the motive was to kill two people,” Richardson said. “I think Mr. Birl would be the only person to know why he wanted to do that.”

This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 11:20 AM.