Pennsylvania family made ‘joint decision’ 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 stated 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 advised her mother and father she wished to commit suicide, the West Manchester Township Police Division stated in a launch.

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

The household left a number of written paperwork detailing their journey relationship again at the very least 9 months, cops stated.

In line with papers written by Deborah, she and Morgan had initially deliberate to kill themselves collectively and go away James behind. In an April 2022 observe, she writes that Morgan selected their execution date based mostly on a bible verse wherein two mother and father give their little one again to God.

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

Deborah additionally wrote concerning the “evil” Morgan and the household faces, however police stated 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 stated.

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

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

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

The household left further 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 go away a observe, however police decided she shot herself.

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

Police recovered an in depth 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 dwelling 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 woman who liked bowling together 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, advised NBC Information.

One other neighbor thought-about their beliefs a “preoccupation.”