BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. — Authorities are investigating a suspected murder-suicide that claimed the life of a 14-year-old girl and her 51-year-old father in central New York.
Officers were dispatched to a home at 6 Triangle Place around 8:30 a.m. Friday after a woman called to ask police to check on her daughter and her estranged husband, Baldwinsville Police Chief Michael Lefancheck said at a news conference, according to WSYR-TV. The woman told authorities that her daughter did not show up for school on Friday and that no one answered the door, despite the fact that there were cars in the driveway, Syracuse.com reported.
The woman gave police keys to the home, Lefancheck said. During a search, officers found 14-year-old Ava Wood and her father, 51-year-old Christopher Wood, dead of apparent gunshot wounds in separate bedrooms.
Lefancheck said the elder Wood’s wound appeared to be self-inflicted, though he added that officials with the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office are still investigating the case.
“While obviously the medical examiner and Sheriff (Toby) Shelley’s criminal investigation unit need to complete their investigation, based upon the initial review of the scene, it would appear that (a murder-suicide) is a likely outcome of this investigation,” he said.
The chief said he believes Wood and his wife were married but living separately. Shelley told reporters that authorities had investigated two prior incidents involving the couple, including a reported aggravated harassment incident two days earlier. He said the report involved texts that Wood had sent to his wife. Deputies also investigated an incident in which Wood’s wife reported he was stalking her, Shelley said.
Ava was a ninth-grade student at Durgee Junior High School. She was involved in track and field and played soccer for the school, Syracuse.com reported.
“Talking to the school superintendent, (Ava) was involved in athletics at the school and appears to be a very involved, and just a wonderful young person,” Lefancheck said. “This is just a tragedy of unspeakable means that’s going to impact our community. To have a young girl, age 14, whose life is cut short, and (to) not be able to experience growing up, and college, and all those types of things that we all look forward to for ourselves and our children — this is just a real tragedy.”
In a letter to parents, guardians and staff members, acting Baldwinsville School District superintendent Joseph DeBarbieri said the district was providing support and counseling services for students and staff members grappling with Ava’s death.
“We are a close-knit school community and our hearts are broken by this tragedy,” DeBarbieri said. “Our thoughts are with Ava’s family and friends during this extremely difficult time.”
School district officials canceled after-school events on Friday and announced that counseling and support services would be available to students and families.
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