Family found dead in Pennsylvania made a ‘joint decision’ to kill themselves, police say

A Pennsylvania household discovered shot useless of their yard final week in what police say seems to be a suicide pact, included a mom and daughter who beloved bowling and had been religious Christian conservatives, individuals who knew them stated.

Morgan Daub, 26, and her dad and mom, James Daub, 62, and Deborah Daub, 59, had been discovered useless on the bottom within the yard of their dwelling in York County, Pennsylvania, on the morning of Jan. 25, after police responded to a request for a welfare examine from a neighbor. 

The West Manchester Township Police Division has since stated that notes left inside the home point out that the household lately made a “joint choice” to finish their lives. Police consider Deborah Daub shot and killed her husband after which was shot and killed by Morgan, who died by suicide. Police stated there have been no indicators of pressured entry or battle and no proof that anybody else had been current.

An investigation into the deaths has been closed.

Individuals who knew the household expressed shock and heartbreak on the deaths. Morgan was described by members of the native bowling neighborhood as a shy, quiet younger girl who was shut together with her mom and in addition a gifted and avid bowler till she and her mom out of the blue stopped visiting bowling shops and alleys within the space a couple of years in the past, across the begin of the pandemic. 

“Morgan didn’t have a variety of phrases to say,” stated Bret Stabley, who operates the professional store at Bowlers Provide in York, Pennsylvania, the place the mom and daughter had been longtime clients. Stabley stated he believed Morgan, whom he described as “very meek and quiet” but in addition “very shiny,” was homeschooled and her mom usually spoke on her behalf.

Stabley stated he gave Morgan many bowling classes over time and he or she grew to become extra sociable as she grew older. She was additionally “fairly a great bowler,” he stated.

Stabley stated the Christian, churchgoing household “was by no means shy about letting anyone know what their beliefs had been” when it got here to faith and politics. Morgan and Deborah “very, very big” supporters of former President Donald Trump, Stabley stated.

“They had been simply so hell-bent on Trump profitable, like this could possibly be ultimately if he doesn’t,” Stabley stated, referring to an occasion when he noticed them simply earlier than the 2020 election. He stated he stopped seeing the 2 after that.

A neighbor who requested to stay nameless for worry of private or skilled retaliation of their city stated the household had a “preoccupation with faith, particularly on the dad’s half.” The household’s entrance yard was additionally “littered” with Professional-Trump political indicators throughout the elections, and anti-abortion indicators when Roe v. Wade was overturned, the neighbor stated.

Terry Miller, the proprietor of Suburban Bowlerama, stated Morgan and Deborah got here to his bowling middle a few occasions every week. “She grew up right here,” he stated of Morgan. 

“To me, simply watching their interactions they only loved it, they appeared to spend so much of time collectively,” he stated.

However Morgan and Deborah out of the blue stopped coming by round 2019, Miller stated.

Trying again, he stated, it was “undoubtedly, undoubtedly bizarre” that the 2 stopped coming in.

Stabley stated he was disturbed to see current movies showing to point out Morgan on YouTube. Within the movies, which the West Manchester Township Police Division have additionally stated seem to point out Morgan, the younger girl speaks in stream-of-conscious style about God, the Antichrist and conspiracies about Trump and the 2020 election. Stabley stated he’s haunted by Morgan’s laughter within the movies.

“I by no means, ever, ever noticed Morgan in that state,” he stated.

Detective Timothy Fink stated in a press release to NBC Information on Friday that Deborah Daub left a written doc, signed Jan. 19, by which “she speaks of a joint choice” by her and Morgan to finish their lives. It refers back to the “evil that has mounted towards Morgan,” however doesn’t go into additional element, Fink stated.

Morgan and her father additionally left notes indicating that the household had deliberate methods to perform the shootings and made different preparations, together with what to do with the household canine and belongings.

These notes had been dated Jan. 24, a day earlier than the our bodies of the household had been discovered.

Police stated that the positioning of the our bodies, the 2 weapons discovered at scene, the shell casings and different proof “assist the account put ahead by the written paperwork left behind by the household,” that “all three relations determined to finish their lives on 1/24/2023.”

In the meantime, the neighbor stated they’re in “shock and disbelief” that one thing like this might occur “so near dwelling.”

“Once I interacted with them in particular person, they saved it underneath wraps,” the neighbor stated. “I didn’t see that break by the floor in any respect.”

When you or somebody is in disaster, name 988 to achieve the Suicide and Disaster Lifeline. You can too name the community, beforehand often known as the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, textual content HOME to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/sources for added sources.