Pictured: The middle-aged twin sisters who killed themselves in suicide plot after they lost their home in 'money problems'

A large Kansas family has been left devastated after a pair of twin sisters killed themselves in a double suicide pact on Wednesday.

Police today named the sisters as Sharon Bartley and Susan Howard of Shawnee, Johnson County.

They were said to be in their 50s and neighbors said they had recently had money issues and were forced out of their home.

The women were two of nine children - six daughters and three sons.



Family tragedy: Susan Howard, far right, and Sharon Bartley second left, were named as the twin sisters who killed themselves in Shawnee, Kansas. They are pictured with two of their sisters Dorothy Beattie, far left, and Mary Wilson

Double suicide: Kansas police today confirmed two twin sisters had shot themselves dead in a suicide pact. The woman were named as Sharon Bartley and Susan Howard

One of their sisters, Dorothy Beattie, still lives nearby and in 2010 posted pictures of the three of them happily celebrating her daughter's bachelorette party



The twins were found shot dead on a trail at Mill Creek Streamway Park, western Shawnee, on Wednesday.

Their mother Catherine West died in Shawnee in 2004. At that time Susan Howard was listed as living in Sacramento, California, and Susan Bartley was living in the Mission neighborhood of the city.

According to the Kansas City Star the sisters recently shared a home in the city which was where officers later found a suicide note.

Investigators say the sisters drove to the spot where they took their own lives in a white PT Cruiser.



A passerby discovered the bodies at 3pm - 150 yards into the wooded park which is a popular jogging spot.



A gun was found next to one of the bodies.



KMBC-9 reported the twins had recently been forced to move from another property because of money troubles.



'One day she just said, 'I'm moving. We're going to move two blocks over to Roeland Park,'" said another neighbor, Stuart West. 'She said, 'We'll be around.'''

Tragedy: The two women were found dead in this park with a gun nearby

Isolated spot: The sisters drove this car to a park in western Shawnee before killing themselves

Residents near the park reported hearing gunshots before the bodies were found.

