Bodies of father, son found along Appalachian Trail near Frederick County; authorities suspect murder-suicide

Jun. 11—Maryland State Police detectives are investigating an apparent murder-suicide after the bodies of a Frederick father and his young son were found along the Appalachian Trail in Washington County near the Frederick County line early Friday.

The deceased are identified as 2-year-old Dawson Thomson and his father, Sean M. Thomson, both of Frederick.

Authorities say around 10:30 p.m. Thursday the wife of Sean Thomson and mother of Dawson contacted Maryland State Police and said her husband picked up their son from her parents' home near Boonsboro around 8:30 p.m. She said her husband told her parents he was going hiking.

The wife went to the parking lot in the 11000 block of Baltimore National Pike in Boonsboro, where the husband's car was parked in a lot near the Appalachian Trail, according to MSP.

The wife reportedly expressed concern because she said Sean Thomson had "been despondent lately," authorities said in a news release.

Shortly after 3 a.m. Friday, the body of the child was found in a ravine off the trail, more than a mile north of where the car was located, according to MSP. Less than an hour later, the body of Sean Thomson was located. Both bodies had obvious trauma, authorities said, and a knife has been recovered from the scene.

No motive has been determined. Authorities said the family had been living together.

MSP's search included the Mobile Field Force, Special Operations Division, Natural Resources Police and resources included personnel trained in tracking.

MSP's Homicide Unit investigators and crime scene technicians are processing the scene, which is in a rugged location accessible only on foot. The bodies will be taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for autopsies.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact the Frederick Barrack at 301-600-4151.