Pennsylvania household made ‘joint determination’ to commit murder-suicide

A religious Christian household of three discovered shot to demise of their Pennsylvania yard final week took turns killing each other as a part of a murder-suicide pact they made months earlier, police mentioned Friday.

Morgan Daub, 26, and her mother and father, James Daub, 62, and Deborah Daub, 59, left detailed notes explaining they made the “joint determination” to finish their lives collectively on Jan. 24 after Morgan instructed her mother and father she wished to commit suicide, the West Manchester Township Police Division mentioned in a launch.

Police found the trio’s our bodies at their York house the morning of Jan. 25 whereas responding to a welfare examine. A neighbor instructed police he heard three photographs ring off in fast succession simply earlier than midnight.

The household left a number of written paperwork detailing their journey courting again no less than 9 months, cops mentioned.

In line with papers written by Deborah, she and Morgan had initially deliberate to kill themselves collectively and depart James behind. In an April 2022 be aware, she writes that Morgan selected their execution date primarily based on a bible verse through which two mother and father give their little one again to God.

“Samuel 1:24-28 Morgan selected the date! I consider I’ve to be along with her!” Deborah wrote.

Deborah additionally wrote in regards to the “evil” Morgan and the household faces, however police mentioned she didn’t go into nice element.

“The remainder of the letter appears to be directed to or about God and to her husband, James Daub. The letter reads as if she expects James to outlive them after their passing,” police mentioned.

In line with a letter left by James, he was not initially a part of the pact however opted to affix after listening to that his spouse and daughter had been planning to depart him.

“[H]e was crushed when Morgan instructed ‘us’ that she should finish her life,” police mentioned of his letter.

“Within the early components of the letter James says that he’s not prepared to finish his life however by the tip of the letter it’s evident that he had then determined to take action.”

The household left extra notes admitting that they died at each other’s arms.

“with solely 2 weapons & me being shaky, my spouse Debbie pulled the set off for me,” James wrote.

“I used to be too shaky, so my daughter pulled the set off for me,” Deborah wrote.

Morgan, who was discovered carrying earmuffs, didn’t depart a be aware, however police decided she shot herself.

Their our bodies had been discovered with gunshot wounds to the pinnacle and had been “organized in a straight line beginning just some toes from the porch and increasing south.”

Police recovered an intensive guidelines Morgan made that contained preparatory steps earlier than ending her life, together with chatting with her father, clipping the canine’s nails, letters to household, and many others. Additionally they left directions for his or her residing household, together with directions for the care of their canine.

The murder-suicide rocked the group, who knew the household as quiet, however religious Christians.

Neighbors described Morgan as a reserved lady who liked bowling along with her mom.

The Daubs had been “by no means shy about letting anyone know what their beliefs had been” when it got here to faith and politics, Bret Stabley, who operates the professional store at Bowlers Provide within the city, instructed NBC Information.

One other neighbor thought of their beliefs a “preoccupation.”