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Photo by Sam Yu
Frederick County Sheriff's Office personnel set up a tent to
apparently be used as a command post next to the house on Washington
Street in Middletown where five bodies were found this morning.
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Three children and two adults died in what authorities believe is a murder-suicide inside a house in the first block of Washington Street in Middletown , according to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.
The adults are Christopher A. Wood, 34, and Francie Wood, 33, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The names of their children were not released. However, they are a 5-year-old boy, a 4-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl, the sheriff's office said.
"This case is being investigated as a murder-suicide," a Sheriff's Office press release states. "The investigation indicates that Mr. Wood killed the members of his family and then killed himself by an apparent gunshot wound."
Police are planning a third press briefing at 8:30 p.m.
The bodies will be removed from the home tonight and taken to the Medical Examiners Office in Baltimore. Autopsies are scheduled for Sunday.
The family attended the Holy Family Catholic Community, according to Rev. Kevin Farmer.
Farmer said he last saw the family members Easter Sunday.
He said the woman taught religious education, and her parents were founding members of the Holy Family Catholic Community.
The family had a mix breed dog, which was taken alive from the house by Animal Control.
Deputies were called to the scene at 9:09 a.m. by relatives who went to the house this morning, according to Cpl. Jennifer Bailey.
They were concerned because they have not had contact with the people inside the house for a period of time. The people found the bodies, left and immediately called police.
Bailey said the investigation is still in its preliminary stages. She did not identify the ages or genders of the dead people. Police will hold a press conference at 4 p.m.
Deputies have entered the house.
Frederick County sheriff's deputies have sealed off several blocks surrounding the intersection of Washington and South Jefferson streets in Middletown .
Sheriff Chuck Jenkins arrived at 10:47 a.m., and Animal Control officers arrived at 11 a.m.
Witnesses told News-Post reporter Kate Leckie they saw a priest escort two women and a man from a house on Washington Street to the Middletown Municipal Building. That happened around 10:15 a.m.
DETAILS FROM THE 4 P.M. PRESS CONFERENCE:
The two boys were found in their beds
The mother and young girl were found together in the master bed
The father was found on the floor at the foot of the master bed
The father died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound; a shotgun was found close to his body
The mother and children had all suffered traumatic cuts
A mixed-breed dog was removed from the house unharmed
Police found at least four notes at the scene, but are not releasing their contents. Police believe Christopher Wood wrote the notes.
Preliminarily, police do not believe they had been previously called to the house
Police have not determined the time of the deaths.
Francie Wood’s father found the bodies this morning, upon visiting the house. He had not heard from the family in days.
Francie Wood is the sister of a former Frederick County’s Sheriff’s Office deputy, Sam Billotti.
The Wood family had been living at the residence on Washington Street for four months.
Christopher Wood had been a CSX Railroad employee.
Sheriff’s deputies entered the residence to collect evidence after obtaining a search warrant.
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View 5 found dead in Middletown in a larger map
Placement on map is approximate
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