The Palmer Township man who killed his in-laws last year has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, according to the Northampton County District Attorney’s office.
Xiaomin Fei, 35, has entered a plea of guilty to two counts of murder in the first degree and will serve two consecutive life sentences in the shooting deaths of Robert Ackerman, a retired professor, and Gretchen Ackerman.
Hours after he was served divorce papers, Fei bought and went to the home of his mother and father-in-law, where his wife and the couple’s two sons were visiting. According to police, when Fei went to the house and was denied entry, he retrieved a hammer from his vehicle, broke a window to gain access, and confronted his in-laws before shooting and killing both. Neighbors reported hearing yelling and a crash before police responded the evening of June 3.
Palmer Township police responded to a domestic disturbance on Glasgow Way and en route to the scene, a second 911 call was made by a woman stating her husband was going to kill her and her children. When officers arrived, Fei was standing outside the front door with the gun pointed against his head, but he eventually dropped it after being commanded by the police.
When police investigated the scene, they found both Ackermans dead with gunshot wounds to the head.