Father killed wife, 2 sons in Virginia murder-suicide, police say

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Crime scene at a Virginia home where police say a man fatally shot his wife and two teenage sons before killing himself.

/ WUSA

(CBS/AP) HERNDON, Va. - Police say a Northern Virginia man fatally shot his wife and two teenage sons in the family home before killing himself earlier this week.

Fairfax County Police discovered the bodies Tuesday, but did not say how the four died until Wednesday, after the medical examiner had conducted autopsies.

According to police, 57-year-old Albert Peterson shot and killed his wife, 52-year-old Kathleen Peterson, and their two sons, 16-year-old Matthew Peterson and 13-year-old Christopher, before taking his own life. All four died from gunshots to the upper body.

Police checked on the home Tuesday after co-workers became concerned that the adults had not reported to work for two days.

A neighbor of the family, Alvaro Lopes, told CBS DC that the family recently completed building a deck and showed no outward signs of trouble.

"They were good people," said Lopes. "Very quiet [and] would hang out in their front yard and do some barbecues."

A candlelight vigil was scheduled Wednesday night at the family's church, Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon.

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by jdonohue34996 October 1, 2012 5:09 PM EDT: What an awful thing to say...did you ever consider the familes of these people? How about the hundreds of us who are mourning the loss of a classmate?

Al Peterson was a great guy and those of us who were privileged to know him since childhood know this was not the person we knew, yes her was quiet, we never knew him to be violent, something had to have happened, maybe something like a reactiom to new medicatioms..

Judge not lest ye be judged..plz keep your ignorant statements to yourselfhere are families that need time to process this tragedy as well as hundred's of people from his hometown who are greiving as well as people who grew up with him, went to school with him...we are in shock!

Our thoughts and praterss go out to the families..God Bess you all as all of DP grieves with you!; Reply to this comment


by MyRedPony September 30, 2012 11:38 AM EDT: What is it with the name Peterson? First Scott, then Drew, now Albert. Strange coincidence.; Reply to this comment