Cops: N.C. Man Killed Wife, Teens, Self

No Explanation Yet for Murder-Suicide in Upscale Neighborhood

(CBS/AP)  North Carolina police say a real estate developer known as an active member of his church shot and killed his wife and two teen children and then committed suicide in their Fayetteville home.

Authorities did not hint at a motive into the slayings by William Maxwell in an upscale neighborhood of the city Monday night. CBS News affiliate WRAL-TV in Raleigh reported Tuesday that police have stopped combing over the house for the day and didn't provide an explanation for the deaths.

Police said Tuesday that 47-year-old Maxwell killed his wife, Kathryn, and their children, 17-year-old Connor and 15-year-old Cameron, before turning a gun on himself.

Friends and neighbors say the Maxwells were a friendly family who kept a meticulous yard and were active in their church and their children's religious high school.

"They were just wonderful people, active in their church," said neighbor Kay Edwards, who has lived next door since 1994, when she moved back into the home where she grew up and where her 94-year-old mother still lives. "They were just good neighbors."

Edwards said she would often see family members walking their small dog through the quiet, leafy neighborhood.

"We're just all in shock," she said Tuesday. "You could not imagine this happening."

William Maxwell was a builder and land developer who built residential subdivisions in Cumberland and Harnett counties, said John McKinney of Fayetteville, who described himself as Maxwell's business partner and friend for more than a decade.

"He was a devout Christian and I really loved his family," McKinney said. William Maxwell also owned a couple of local car washes, while his wife Kathryn was a stay-at-home mother who taught Sunday school at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church in Fayetteville.

Son Cameron Maxwell attended 9th grade at Village Christian Academy in Fayetteville and his sister Conner was a senior. The school is affiliated with Village Baptist Church. "We're obviously very saddened by this tragic event and we're really concentrating right now on just meeting the needs of the students and staff at the school," said Lou Nelon, the church administrator. "Those kids were very well loved and respected. They were very well known here in town," Nelon said.

In a neighborhood with well-manicured lawns where many houses sit on hill tops, a steady stream of cars drove by the house on Tuesday, slowing for drivers to gape at the crime scene.

Evelyn Diaz, a Maxwell neighbor for about a year, said she remembered the father and son working on the meticulously-kept lawn. One woman who said her husband coached basketball at Village Christian Academy with Maxwell came Tuesday to lay a bunch of yellow daisies on the lawn.

Suzie Martell, a neighbor and a student at Fayetteville Technical Community College, came by the house to snap some pictures with her cell phone. "The family was great. The husband obviously prospered in his field," said Martell.

Fayetteville is about 50 miles southwest of Raleigh and home to the Army's sprawling Fort Bragg.

[Ceres6]

More than fifty-percent of the time, when a family is exterminated, the reason is that the family was near financial ruin. It is really sad to see that some people, in most cases the father, cannot take the humiliation of going bankrupt, and somehow believe insanely that the only way out is to execute the children and the spouse. Those people focused in executing their entire family are completely out of reason, and even though religious principles could be the vehicle to give them strength, it is sad to see that in this case it was ignored by Mr. Maxwell.

[gnimelf1968]

Why is it that men seem to be the ones who decide to take out the whole family? When a woman goes goofy she'll take out her man or the kids but not all of them. Is it that men just can't stand the thought of their family going on without them and possibly being happy?

[itcouldbeu]

And all of you feel that you are qualified to judge...hmmmm. This is very sad and there are people that are hurting. Have some consideration and get off your high horses. I hope you never have to deal with such a tragedy.

[debrand]

Who is everyone supposed to be judging? The man who decided to play God and slaughter his innocent family? Even if this had happened in my own family, I would still feel that the killer was cowardly scum.

[dahizzle]

Krishtuns. What a crock of sh*t.

[saund008]

We'll probably never know what truly happened. The media will jump all over a story like this and then never do a follow up. There could be lessons to be learned. Perhaps to help prevent another tragedy such as this.

[canislupus16]

1. Unbeknowst to anyone, the husband/wife weren't getting along, and she told him she was leaving.

2. Unbeknowst to anyone, the guy was abusive to the wife, or entire family. She threatened to leave him.

3. The guy was attempting to hide something pretty awful, or something awful was going to come out about him so he ended the life of his family along with his own.

4. The guy lost it all financially.

5. He pulled a Larry Craig and it was going to be made public.

6. He caught the wife sleeping with their church minister.

7. None of the above.

8. All of the above.

It really sucks that he killed his wife and kids though. Condolences to their friends and remaining relatives

[sandy19731]

I'll bet you got a least one right if not more (and I don't mean # 7).
I wonder why he spared the dog?

[linfinster]

That's what I was going to do .. too bad he didn't just off himself.

[addict42]

Why is it always these devout Christians are the least likely to murder their families? They have serious problems living up to their own insane standards and eventually go bersek and kill their entire family. This whack job was probably living a double life or financially ruined and rather deal with it all took the cowards way out by victimizing his wife and children. Our perfect American family is a fraud!!!

[sandy19731]

Did you mean "most likely to murder their families"?

[erb0087]

"Fayetteville is about 50 miles southwest of Raleigh and home to the Army's sprawling Fort Bragg."

The Jeffrey MacDonald family killings took place in this area in February 1970.

As depicted in the book/film "Fatal Vision," MacDonald was later convicted for the murders of his pregnant wife and two daughters.

[I_am_me1953]

OK, thank you for the history lesson. Now, how does this apply to the current story?

[michellereducf]

and......?

[erb0087]

"OK, thank you for the history lesson."

You're welcome.

When I saw "Fort Bragg" I was reminded of that tragic series of events.

The late Karl Malden turned in a typically strong performance in "Fatal Vision."