BELCHERTOWN, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) -- The suspect in Friday night’s deadly shooting out of Belchertown faced a judge for the first time Monday morning. Police say the shooting happened inside a 55-plus community on Daniel Shays Highway, and the case is still under active investigation.

56-year-old Mark Opper was seen in Eastern Hampshire District Court, after he was arrested and charged with Murder and Assault and Battery on a family, or household, member. Opper was held without a right to bail and is scheduled to be back in court on April 27th.

According to court documents we obtained, police were called to the house on Friday evening after a man called 911, saying that his gun went off and that he had shot his wife. When officers arrived, they found Opper’s hands and jeans stained with blood. Police also found the victim on the floor with multiple gunshot wounds to her torso, and while officers did perform life-saving measures, along with a quick paramedic response, the victim was transported to Baystate where she was pronounced dead.

in court on Monday, there were allegations of domestic abuse, with the judge saying, “Based upon the affidavit filed by the Commonwealth, in light of this, I do find that the allegation of abuse is sufficient.”

The case remains under active investigation by the Belchertown Police Department and Massachusetts State Police; however, officials say there is no ongoing threat to the public.

On Western Mass News @ 6, we’ll hear why investigators believe that this killing was intentional, based on the evidence found inside the home.

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