Christina Bach Arvidson, 31, a former Saugerties resident, was killed Nov. 5 in what state police are calling a murder-suicide at her home in the Schoharie County town of Summit.
According state police public information officer Trooper Kerra Burns, autopsies confirmed that 24-year-old Dustin McMahon turned the gun on himself after shooting Arvidson. She said police were dispatched to the home at 12:15 p.m. on Nov. 6 after, she wrote in an email, an “associate of the couple” was called by McMahon’s employer when he did not show up to work. The person then called authorities when he found the pair dead in the home. Citing the ongoing investigation, troopers declined to give further information on the deceased’s relationship or the type of gun used.
A professional photographer and a mother of three, Arvidson’s professional website and Facebook page contain numerous photos she took — newlywed couples, wide-eyed babies and family portraits. According to her obituary, she was born in Kingston to Sharon and Daniel Bach, and graduated from Saugerties High School in 2005. She had an associate’s degree from SUNY Cobleskill and a bachelor’s degree from Empire State College. She is survived by her husband, William Arvidson; her three children, Annie Grace, Logan and Talon; her parents; her grandparents; and her siblings, Niki, Jesse and Tara.
“She cherished her children and all their activities and was the most amazing Aunt,” her obituary stated.
“Christina was a bright light,” wrote Arvidson’s sister Nikki on the Gofundme page for a fund established to defray funeral expenses and help her children. “A strong, loving, hard-working, and loyal mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. A gifted photographer, she captured the most precious moments of countless lives, instantly putting families at ease with her infectious sense of humor and down-to-earth personality. … Christina was a truly dedicated mother, educating and devoting herself to become the best possible advocate for her children, and always putting them first. … [H]er strength, dedication, devotion, and sheer love for her children and loved ones will be her greatest legacy.”
Police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident — anyone with pertinent information is encouraged to contact State Police Troop G at (518) 783-3211.
Donations for funeral expenses and towards the care of Arvidson’s children can be made out to Arvidson Children’s Fund, c/o Sawyer Savings Bank, 87 Market St., Saugerties, NY 12477. Prospective donors can also use the family’s Gofundme page, https://www.gofundme.com/in-memory-of-christina-bach
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