A family of four was discovered dead in their home on Jan. 23 in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide, with police suspecting the father, Paul Swarner, 35, as the perpetrator.
According to local CBS affiliate KDKA, family members became alarmed when repeated phone calls to the Swarner household went unanswered. Karen Swarner’s father, concerned about the lack of communication, went to the residence around 11:30 p.m. There, he found his 32-year-old daughter, her husband, their 5-year-old daughter Evelyn, and 1-year-old son Connor, all deceased from apparent shotgun wounds.
In a press conference following the discovery, Pennsylvania State Trooper Steve Limani stated that the evidence suggested Paul Swarner fatally shot his wife and two children before turning the gun on himself. “It appears that Paul took the life of his wife, his 5-year-old child, and his 1-year-old child … basically a baby, and then took his own life,” Limani said.
Authorities reported no prior indications of discord or danger within the household. Family members told police that there had been no signs of trouble when speaking with Karen Swarner just a day before the incident.