NEED TO KNOW
Eight people were killed in a family massacre in Erie, Pa. on Oct. 9
Family patriarch Matthew Stone Sr. has been identified as the killer. He died by suicide
Police believe Matthew Stone Sr. exercised strict control on the lives of his family members
Authorities say the victims of last week’s Pennsylvania family massacre included two women who had showed up to the house after the killer’s daughter sought help.
Lora Roberts, 37, and Twila Tanner, 51, arrived at the Erie, Penn. residence late on the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 9 after eight-months pregnant Angelina Stone, 24, called Roberts via Facebook video for help, according to police.
All three were among eight victims targeted by Stone’s father, who annihilated his whole family before dying by suicide, Erie police previously said.
In an update on the investigation, Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said on Thursday that around 4:39 p.m. on Friday — less than 30 minutes before police would respond to reports of a shooting at the residence —Angelina had called Roberts on Facebook video.
Following the two-minute long call, Roberts messaged Angelina that she was on her way. She notified the partner of Matthew Sr.’s brother, who lived near the Stones’ residence, claiming Angelina was in trouble, Lorah said.
According to video evidence and witness accounts, police believe Roberts arrived at the residence with Tanner and the two seemed “distressed” as they sought help from neighbors.
Police believe the killer carried out the shootout inside the residence before stepping out and killing Roberts and Tanner.
At a vigil on Wednesday, Tanner’s daughter told You Erie that it was in her mother’s nature to help anybody.
“She was a sweet woman. Caring,” Aniecia Al-Amiri told the outlet. “She wanted to go help a family friend, and she lost her life in the middle of trying to help somebody else that she loved and cared about.”
Jonathan Stone (left); Michelle Marie Lemons Stone; and Matthew Stone.
Credit: gunmemorial.org (3)
The other victims were Angelina’s mother and Roberts’ sister Michelle Stone, 44; Michelle’s sons Jonathan Stone, 19 and Matthew Stone, 21; and Angelina’s children, 1-year-old Amari’anna Stone and 5-year-old Isiah Hudges. Angelina’s unborn baby, who was due in just a few days, was also killed.
The Stone patriarch, 45-year-old Matthew Stone Sr., was identified as the killer.
The investigation revealed Matthew Sr. exercised severe control of his family members for years, increasingly isolating them from relatives, controlling how often they could see others as well as controlling their finances, Lorah said.
Angelina had told people she had plans to leave the family after the birth of her third child. A year before the killing, she had tried to change her last name in a bid to distance herself from her father so that she could pursue a medical career without the shadow of his name, police said.
Angelina Stone with Amari’anna Stone.
Credit: facebook
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Officers responding to the shooting found the residence in an “extremely filthy” state, including several 2-liter bottles filled with urine and seemingly dysfunctional kitchen, toilet and shower sinks, Lorah said on Thursday.
They also found drug paraphernalia inside the residence, which corroborated family members’ allegations that Matthew Sr. had a substance abuse problem.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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