Christopher Wood kills family, self

[RaVen Blackehart]

http://i43.tinypic.com/256sb9d.jpg

A Maryland man apparently killed his wife and three young children, then shot and killed himself at the foot of the bed where his wife and 2-year-old daughter's bodies lay, authorities said Saturday.
Five people, including three young children, were found dead in this house in Middletown, Maryland.

Five people, including three young children, were found dead in this house in Middletown, Maryland.

Christopher Wood, 34, may have slashed at least some of his family members in the killings in Middletown. Frederick County (Md.) Sheriff Charles Jenkins said some of the victims had "severe lacerations and cut wounds."

"These are horrific incidents," said Jenkins, who said he couldn't remember another homicide in the past 20 years in the small town northwest of Baltimore. "No one should ever have to be exposed to this."

Wood's sons were 5 and 4 years old, authorities said. His wife, Francie Billotti Wood, was 33.

The boys were found in their beds in a single bedroom, the sheriff said. Authorities did not release the names of the children.

Jenkins said at least four notes apparently handwritten by Wood were found inside the home.

Cpl. Jennifer Bailey said deputies went to the home shortly after 9 a.m. after Mrs. Wood's father called. The family had not been seen for several days, Bailey said.

Authorities said several weapons, including a shotgun, were found inside the home.

Christopher Wood had been an employee of CSX Railroad, Jenkins said. He said the sheriff's office had no record of domestic violence or other family disputes at the Woods' home.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/18/maryland.family.shot/index.html

[sherrz]

How fucking sad. I know the economy is rough right now but come on!

[moonlilly1981]

When they say small town they really mean small town. So sad. He should have just offed his self and left the rest out of it. Or better yet got some mental health help.

[Special2bme]

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo35/Special2bme/11amMiddletownMurderSuicide_2009042.jpgMIDDLETOWN, Md. - A man who killed his wife, their three young children and himself in their northwest Maryland home had a hard time adjusting to his new manager's job for a railroad and it was causing him stress, according a blog entry his wife posted last month.

The children's grandfather discovered the murder-suicide Saturday when he went to check on the family at their Middletown home, authorities said. Francis Billotti Wood, 33, and her children suffered "traumatic cuts" and each had at least one wound from a .25-caliber handgun, Frederick County Sheriff Charles Jenkins said. Her husband, 34-year-old Christopher Alan Wood, was found at the foot of his bed, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.

Francis Wood grew up in the Middletown area and the family moved back last year. Her husband had been transferred from Jacksonville, Fla., for work as an account manager in the sales and marketing group at CSX Corp. in Baltimore, a company spokesman said. In a blog under her name and photo that she appears to have started in 2006, she said she thrived on the excitement that change brings, but he didn't handle it as well as she did.

"Chris is trying to adjust but he is having a hard time with the new job which makes him more of a major player at work," a March 16 entry read.

She also said she knew he worried that his traveling for the job would keep him away from the children too much.

"But I think we should focus on Quality over Quantity," she wrote.

On Sunday, members of Holy Family Catholic Community Church, which Francis Wood's parents helped found, remembered her as someone deeply involved in the parish, teaching catechism and volunteering in the nursery.

The Rev. Kevin Farmer said Wood was "the kind of parishioner I would wish for."

Authorities found the couple's two sons, ages 5 and 4, dead in their beds, and the bodies of their 2-year-old daughter and Francis Wood were in the master bedroom, Frederick County sheriff's office spokeswoman Jennifer Bailey said. On the master bedroom floor was Christopher Wood's body, she said.

Sheriff Jenkins said Wood left behind five notes before fatally shooting himself, including an apology to family members and hints that he suffered from psychiatric problems. The sheriff also said there was evidence that Wood faced financial problems.

Francis Wood wrote in the blog that her husband needed to get out of his comfort zone, but it was causing him stress.

Her last posting, dated April 1, said: "I am thinking that Chris and I will never agree on a new house to buy." She also talks about being blessed to be able to stay at home with her children and that she could give back to the community.

Joe Parker, 64, whose daughter and Francis Wood went to school together and were members of the Girl Scouts, said he wonders if there was more he could have done to prevent the deaths.

"We need to be more involved in other people's lives and we're not," Parker said.
[...]http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/042009_middletown_family_killed_husband_stressed

[OMalley]

So sad. A beautiful family, gone. Too bad he didn't start with himself!

[Special2bme]

Police have released details about how a Frederick mother and three children were killed before the father killed himself.

Police say Christopher Wood, 34, killed his 33-year-old wife Francie Billotti-Wood and their children, 5-year-old Chandler, 4-year-old Gavin and 2-year-old Fiona Thursday night while they were sleeping in their bed.

CBS station WJZ-TV's Derek Valcourt reports their throats were slashed almost to the point of decapitation.

Francie and one son were shot twice in the head, another son was shot three times in the head and the daughter was shot once in the head.

Police say Christopher Wood stayed awake after killing them.

A babysitter showed up Friday morning to finalize some plans to babysit for the family that night.

Police believe Christopher Wood killed himself sometime after that. The bodies were found Saturday by the children's grandfather.

Police recovered the pistol used in the killings of the family members and the shot gun Christopher Wood used to kill himself. Police also found a knife and hand pruning saw.

Police now say there were six notes left behind. One went to each of his children, one to his wife and one to his mother and extended family members. There was also an actual suicide note.

"If he had his problems fine, but why take the children, why take her?" said Barbara Lavely, neighbor.

Police can confirm Christopher Wood had several financial debts, including a home in Jacksonville, Fla. that had not been sold. He also had severe credit card debt. The family was $460,000 in debt. He made $97,000 a year at his job at CSX Railroad.

Police believe Christopher Wood was suffering from depression for most of his life.

The toxicology reports are still out, but they have found some generic forms of Xanax, Paxil and two other anti-depressants in the house.
http://kdka.com/topstories/Christopher.Wood.Francis.2.990442.html

This man was sick, my guts were coming out reading this. Oh, my god.

[Nell]

Police say Christopher Wood, 34, killed his 33-year-old wife Francie Billotti-Wood and their children, 5-year-old Chandler, 4-year-old Gavin and 2-year-old Fiona Thursday night while they were sleeping in their bed.

CBS station WJZ-TV's Derek Valcourt reports their throats were slashed almost to the point of decapitation.

Asshole. What gives him the right??!! And how could he slit the throats of his own babies??

[TheMorningStar]

$460,000 in mortgage and credit card debt
Deputies who examined a computer taken from Christopher Wood's home found information that showed "severe financial difficulties," including money owed on a home in Florida that the family had been unable to sell, Frederick County Sheriff Charles Jenkins said at a news conference.

Wood was a salesman for CSX Railroad, where he earned about $97,000 a year, the sheriff said.

He left six suicide notes, according to authorities.

Jenkins said the medical examiner had determined that Christopher Wood, 34, shot himself with a shotgun Friday after shooting his wife, Francie Billotti-Wood, and their three young children -- Chandler, 5; Gavin, 4; and Fiona, 2 -- with a small-caliber pistol.

"Traumatic lacerations" found on the bodies were made after their deaths, with either a kitchen knife or a pruning saw, the sheriff said, quoting the medical examiner. Both items were found in the house.

"The injuries were very horrific," the sheriff said.



http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/21/maryland.family.shot/index.html <-460k in debt according to link

[ineedanap]

In the note to his wife, Wood wrote that while he loved her dearly, they should never have gotten married.

In a note to his parents, Wood wrote that he would probably go to hell for what he did.

Police concluded that Wood shot and decapitated his family members before putting a shotgun in his mouth and pulling the trigger.

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/20016833/detail.html

Shot and nearly decapitated. Ages 2,4, and 5. Was the word divorce NOT in his vocabulary? Holy fuck.

[silvahalo68]

In a note to his parents, Wood wrote that he would probably go to hell for what he did.Once less worry for you Mr. Wood, one thing you can count on now, Hell is waiting for you.

I understand debt, I have been bracing myself for the inevitable staying home with my kiddos with one less income; I used to be the one making more money. So yes, times have been hard before the economy took a turn, but we have felt it even harder now.
I told my husband just the other night as we discussed our situation. Our family, our children mean more to me than anything a credit report could impress on me. At the end what is our life, what we do everything for, is what matters most. We will do the best we can and that will have to be enough. There are always options, other choices than to erase your life, your family....your treasures.
Father Farmer says Francie had just moved her family back to be closer to her parents. Investigators say it was the grandfather who discovered their bodies. During morning services at the family’s church, Father Farmer said he was trying to help Francie’s parents grieve. "They were incredibly strong, and then at other moments they would just break down as any of us would," he says. I feel so bad for her family, all the family and friends who are lost in devastation and grief.

To kill is one thing, to savagely mutilate a body, that is another. He didn't have to decapitate as he did that makes me think he had far bigger issues than a little depression.

Rest in peace Francis, Chandler, Gavin and baby Fiona....your lives were stolen, so very sorry.

http://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/silvahalo68/Fallen%20angels/11amMiddletownMurderSuicide_2009042.jpghttp://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/silvahalo68/Fallen%20angels/middletown_family_killed_042009_4_2.jpghttp://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/silvahalo68/Fallen%20angels/middletown_family_killed_042009_5_2.jpg

[mysticviewer]

RIP Sweet Sweet Babies. RIP Mom. All I can say good about dad is that he took himself out too.