MAKAWAO, Maui — A former Maui police officer and his wife were killed Monday night in what police described as an apparent murder-suicide at their Makawao home.

Neighbors identified the couple as Barry Alford, 59, and his wife, Karolyn, 58, who lived in a two-story home in a cul de sac at 310 Iini Way.

Neighbor Jeff Cabbat, 22, said he was sitting outside with friends Monday night when they heard yelling coming from the Alford residence about 10 p.m., followed by three gunshots.

"We thought it was maybe hunters in the gulch (behind the Alford home) but about 15 minutes later the cops came," Cabbat said.

He described the couple as "friendly" and said there were no previous indications of any trouble at the Alford household, which is located in a small neighborhood of working-class families.

A family member at the Alford home yesterday declined to comment.

Maui police said officers responding to a 911 call at 10:15 p.m. Monday found the couple inside their home dead of gunshot wounds. Detectives with the Maui Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division classified the case as a murder-suicide but did not indicate who was killed first.

Since investigators were still waiting yesterday to formally identify the victims, the Police Department said it would not issue any information on Barry Alford's employment record until their names are released. Autopsies are scheduled for today.

However, several police officers told The Advertiser that Alford resigned from the Maui police force years ago and was hired back, eventually attaining the rank of lieutenant. He resigned a second time to move to Las Vegas, then returned to Maui and was rehired as a sergeant. He resigned a third time, within the past year, said the police officers, who did not want to be identified because they weren't authorized to speak about the case.

During his stints with the Maui Police Department, Alford's assignments included the Criminal Investigation Division, the Lahaina Patrol District and Radio Dispatch, the officers said.

Karolyn Alford was a former employee of Kapalua Land Co., and the couple at one time were sole proprietors of a business called Gifts Unlimited, according to Maui Circuit Court records related to an August 2002 lawsuit filed against the couple by Discover Bank, seeking payment of $26,275 in credit card charges. The couple filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in September 2002 and the lawsuit was later dismissed.

Becky Serrato, 53, said the Alfords were "nice neighbors" and that Karolyn Alford was "a very nice, sweet woman."

"During the holidays she made Christmas fudge and brought us a pan. She knew we had boys," Serrato said. "I work at the floral department at Foodland (in Pukalani) and she would always come over and give me a hug.

"I'm heartbroken and sad to know what happened to good neighbors like that."