Suspect Remains on Loose in Family Murders

(AP)  A Florida man opened fire on his family after Thanksgiving dinner, killing his pregnant sister, 6-year-old cousin and two other relatives before speeding off and initiating a statewide manhunt, police said Friday.

Police were searching for Paul Michael Merhige, 35, of Miami. He also is accused of gunning down his pregnant sister's twin and his 79-year-old aunt. Jupiter Police Sgt. Scott Pascarella said there had been an "ongoing resentment" in the family, but did not elaborate.

"What led to this incident, we're not quite sure," Pascarella said. "It did not appear there was any altercation prior to this shooting."

Pascarella said Merhige left briefly before returning to the gathering with a handgun.

Seventeen relatives had gathered in Jupiter, a small beach town about 90 miles north of Miami best known as a home to celebrities including Michael Jordan and Burt Reynolds.

Police spokeswoman Sally Collins-Ortiz said the city had never experienced a slaying with so many victims.

The department enlisted the U.S. Marshals in the search for Merhige, who police said had no known criminal past. He was believed to be driving a royal blue 2007 Toyota Camry with a rear spoiler and Florida license plate W42 7JT.

Pascarella said police first received a 911 call from a neighbor, then another from someone inside the home. The residence, in a well-kept new subdivision with brick-paved driveways, is owned by local TV videojournalist Jim Sitton and his wife. On Friday, it was surrounded by yellow crime scene tape and police crime unit vans.

Sitton's daughter Makayla was the young victim. Police said she had gone to bed before the rampage.

"God packed a lot of sweetness into that little body," Sitton said. "She's just our life. I don't know how we are ever going to recover."

Sitton told local media that his daughter was supposed to perform Friday in a holiday production of "The Nutcracker." The Florida Classical Ballet Theatre performed two shows Friday and artistic director Colleen Smith acknowledged the loss.

"Makayla was part of our family, and as one of the youngest dancers, she was to be one of Mother Ginger's Children," Smith said. "She was a beautiful, dear girl. She was a beam."

The other victims were Merhige's twin sisters, Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight, and an aunt, Raymonde Joseph. A fifth victim, Merhige's brother-in-law Patrick Knight, was in critical but stable condition at a local hospital. Another man, Clifford Gebara, 52, was grazed by a bullet.

Neighbors in the Palm Beach County community were shocked as police processed the home.

"Our kids walk the streets by themselves," said Nicole Kemp, 67, who did not know any of the victims. "I thought it was the safest place to live. I guess it doesn't matter, if there's a maniac here."

Carla Merhige was a real estate agent in Miami, said a co-worker.

"She was a wonderful agent," said Joanna Sherman, a manager at Coldwell Banker Residential real estate. "She was very active in the community and in charities. She was just a genuine, beautiful individual. She always had a smile for everybody."

[Ceres6]

This is another example of the devastation caused by mental illness. There is a story that another member of the family of the killer, Mr. Paul Michael Merhige, committed a similar massacre about 36 years ago. Mental illness does not differentiate between poor or rich people. Here we have a guy that grew up in an affluent family, attended prestigious schools, for 35 years did not have a police record, and then during a Thanksgiving family reunion explodes like a stick of dynamite, destroying many innocent lives, including an unborn baby.

I am pretty sure that for years Mr. Merhige gave signals that there was something very wrong in his head, but not enough was done to confront the problem. Now the only thing left to do is to capture this person, keep him locked for the rest of his natural life, and for doctors and scientists to try to gain some knowledge from this tragedy.

[Ceres6]

This is another example of the devastation caused by mental illness. There is a story that another member of the family of the killer, Mr. Paul Michael Merhige, committed a similar massacre about 36 years ago. Mental illness does not differentiate between poor or rich people. Here we have a guy that grew up in an affluent family, attended prestigious schools, for 35 years did not have a police record, and then during a Thanksgiving family reunion explodes like a stick of dynamite, destroying many innocent lives, including an unborn baby.

I am pretty sure that for years Mr. Merhige gave signals that there was something very wrong in his head, but not enough was done to confront the problem. Now the only thing left to do is to capture this person, keep him locked for the rest of his natural life, and for doctors and scientists to try to gain some knowledge from this tragedy.

[sjdavis227]

what the hell have people gone mad for real..what is up with familys killing other family members?And lil kids for that fact and pregent women what the hell...this makes me sick to my guts thinking about how these people sent there last minutes what are we doing as humans to stop this violence? nothing thats what were doing..we need to push for stricter gun laws..no person should be able to take another ones life( with the exception of murders, child rapest, and other violent crimes offenders) this is why i say public punishment should be put back into the justice system before the 1900's there were hardly any problems like this because people thought twice about doing something dumb like this u kno...we as the people of this country have gotten to lacks-y-daisy on scum bags like this...what a sicknig thing todoo...i hope they fry this scum..

[askagain]

How many more gun laws do we need before criminals and crazy people stop killing people? We already have plenty of gun laws on the books. Laws that aren't enforced are meaningless and criminals and insane people ignore the gun laws anyway. The problem isn't a lack of gun laws. It is a problem of guns in the wrong hands. Criminals and insane people will find guns no matter how many laws are passed. Burglars don't stop breaking into homes and businesses simply because it is against the law just as speeders and drunken drivers don't obey the law.

[JV1970]

I agree that gun dealers should run stricter and more extensive background checks when they sell a gun. Most of them just run very quick checks that are not very extensive. They should search the buyers' history back at least ten years and if they have a criminal record that shows any violent episodes of any kind, they should never sell them a gun! However, I am NOT for taking guns away from law abiding citizens! Normal people should be allwed to keep a gun for protection and hunters should be allowed to have their rifles and shotguns! I am not for anyone having AK-47 assault rifles or machine guns, though. They should be banned and not allowed in the United States. They are not good for anything but mass murders. They are no good for hunting. There is no good reason for a normal average citizen to own one.

[Dgunner]

The pope should do the same for every pedophile molesting children in the church.When the catholic church cleanses itself of rapists ? Then I will give up my guns. Im not worried about that day happening.

[pinkgiraffe69]

I'm not a big fan of guns unless I'm holding one when someone tries to shoot me. I'm a veteran, a person who has worked a career attempting to reform criminals, and a so called normal citizen of this country. I say this: Before we take any more rights away from law abiding Americans lets take some away from American (or people of any other nationality) who are homicidal lunatics. (lunatic is a technical term, of course)
Strange thing; we generally can't tell who they are until they blaze away at the Thanksgiving turkey and accidentally hit 6 relatives and friends. Well, we can sometimes label one if he shoots 33 or so people on a military base, so circumstances vary. Individuals are the problem. Bent on mayhem, an individual will find some means of doing the evil deed. Ban everything!

[rayssrq159]

SO ....WHO THINKS NOW WE STILL DONT NEED GUN LAWS IN THIS COUNTRY ..HOW MANY MORE MUST DIE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS THERE HEAD OUT OF THE SAND AND OUT OF THE TIME OF THIS COUNTRY 200 YRS AGO WHEN CONST. WAS WRITTEN , THEY HAD NO IDEA AT ALL HOW THIS COUNTRY WOULD CHANGE , ITS OK TO CHANGE OTHER THINGS IN CONST. BUT NOT GUN LAWS ..BS..JUST KEEP KILLING EACHOTHER ..WHEN EVERYONE BORN BEFORE 1950 IS DEAD AND GONE ,,THEN MAYBE THE REAL THINKERS AND THE SMART ONES BORN AFTER THAT TIME WILL FINALLY CHANGE THE LAWS ..WHAT DO YOU NEED A GUN FOR ,,HUNTING FOOD ?..GO TO THE GROCERY STORE , SOMETHING THEY DIDNT HAVE 200YRS AGO , SO THEY NEEDED GUNS , THE LIVED FAR OUT IN WIDE OPEN COUNTRY ,INDIANS, LAST TIME I LOOKED IN FLORIDA, THE INDIANS WERE RUNING A CASSINO IN TAMPA AND MIAMI , NOT SCALPING OLD LADIES OUT WEST , GET REAL PEOPLE , ITS THE 21ST CENTURY , NOT 1706 ANYMORE ..WE DONT NEED ANY GUNS AT ALL. IF THERE ALL GONE , YOU WOULDNT NEED ONE TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THEM ...HELLO !!!! WAKEUP BEFORE YOUR SHOT IN THE HEAD FOR SOME GUM SOON

[meharber]

You Sir, are an idiot

[ToolMangler1]

You Sir, are also clueless and apparently incapable of cohesive thought. A hammer, Axe, screwdriver, rope, poison, gas, and thousands of other objects have been used to kill people, but you single out guns as the cause of death. You haven't even looked at the cause of deaths.
Were I to be facetious, I might say that 'Life is the single greatest cause of death'. while this is 100% true, it is not the source of the answer to premature death. (Who decides when that is). Do some research and come back with a feasible solution or else please be quiet....

[rayssrq159]

SO ....WHO THINKS NOW WE STILL DONT NEED GUN LAWS IN THIS COUNTRY ..HOW MANY MORE MUST DIE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS THERE HEAD OUT OF THE SAND AND OUT OF THE TIME OF THIS COUNTRY 200 YRS AGO WHEN CONST. WAS WRITTEN , THEY HAD NO IDEA AT ALL HOW THIS COUNTRY WOULD CHANGE , ITS OK TO CHANGE OTHER THINGS IN CONST. BUT NOT GUN LAWS ..BS..JUST KEEP KILLING EACHOTHER ..WHEN EVERYONE BORN BEFORE 1950 IS DEAD AND GONE ,,THEN MAYBE THE REAL THINKERS AND THE SMART ONES BORN AFTER THAT TIME WILL FINALLY CHANGE THE LAWS ..WHAT DO YOU NEED A GUN FOR ,,HUNTING FOOD ?..GO TO THE GROCERY STORE , SOMETHING THEY DIDNT HAVE 200YRS AGO , SO THEY NEEDED GUNS , THE LIVED FAR OUT IN WIDE OPEN COUNTRY ,INDIANS, LAST TIME I LOOKED IN FLORIDA, THE INDIANS WERE RUNING A CASSINO IN TAMPA AND MIAMI , NOT SCALPING OLD LADIES OUT WEST , GET REAL PEOPLE , ITS THE 21ST CENTURY , NOT 1706 ANYMORE ..WE DONT NEED ANY GUNS AT ALL. IF THERE ALL GONE , YOU WOULDNT NEED ONE TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THEM ...HELLO !!!! WAKEUP BEFORE YOUR SHOT IN THE HEAD FOR SOME GUM SOON

[PR_in_Alabama]

The issue with guns is this, they are sold to mentally unstable people, an trust me, they are tons of folks out there with some kind of mental issue. For a gun salesperson to sense a persona problem, is a challenge. Many of this folks can hide their issues very well...

What is the solution?

[Dgunner]

I was approached by a meth addict and was hit across the face with a iron pipe . The authorities said it had to be a case of mistaken identity. They couldn't ask the attacker . I shot him 7 times dead center.After bleeding out and laying on ground for 15 minutes. His brain temp was still 112 degrees. This nut was cooking. Thats why we need guns.Thats one of many reasons im keeping mine. You cowards can stand behind me until I exhaust all ammunition.

[barcar55]

Owning guns is a right. It is just too bad that some choose to use them for the wrong reasons. Guns may be the weapon of choice but people are also stabbed or beaten to death as well.

How do you tell people they have no right to hunt anymore? We (or at least a large amount of us) all know this helps thin the populations of wild animals to keep a healthy balance. We in the South do kill and eat wild game. Sorry, your anti-gun campaign won't hold up. We do have the right to bear arms and protect our selves if necessary. I would rather kill than be killed.

The problem is NOT guns, it is PEOPLE.

[bill0bob]

"The problem is NOT guns, it is PEOPLE." -- barcar55

No, the problem is PEOPLE WITH GUNS!

People without guns have to work harder to kill other people. People with guns just have to point their gun and twitch their finger and somebody dies.

Guns are for COWARDS, for paranoid, lunatic, imbecillic, chicken-$h!ts who don't have the intelligence to figure out how to avoid trouble. That's why they love the "shoot first" laws so much. They don't want to even have to think about avoiding trouble. They just want to pull out their little phallus and shoot somebody so they can feel powerful and "manly" and "in control".