Roxbury father killed wife, 15-year-old son, before taking his own life, prosecutor says
A Roxbury man fatally shot his wife and 15-year-old son before turning the gun on himself in a tragedy that shattered a quiet neighborhood after the discovery of the family's bodies, Morris County officials said on Wednesday.
Police found the bodies of Peter Ventricelli, 57; Kellie Ventricelli, 58; and Anthony Ventricelli, 15; on Tuesday morning during a welfare check inside their single-story home in Roxbury's Succasunna area, Morris Prosecutor Robert Carroll said during a news conference. Authorities believe Peter Ventricelli shot and killed his family before killing himself between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. that morning, Carroll added.
The deaths were a "tragic murder-suicide brought on by domestic violence," but Carroll said no calls to police had been made prior to the shooting. He declined to say if there had been signs a struggle or fight had taken place inside the home on Justine Place. A friend of one of the victims called police after they were unable to reach them, spurring police to check on the family.
Police responded around 10 a.m. to the home, where all three lived, and found the bodies with what appeared to be visible gunshot wounds, according to Carroll, who said the deaths were still under investigation. A handgun was recovered from the scene, he added.
"We ask that citizens exercise discretion and compassion while discussing the situation on social media," the prosecutor said.
Carroll expressed his condolences to the Ventricelli family, stating that it was a "terrible tragedy to see a whole family like this wiped out, regardless of the motives."
Anthony Ventricelli was a student at Roxbury High School, officials confirmed.
His father was a contractor at the family business, CTV Construction LLC, while his mother was a teaching assistant at Hillside Christian Church in Succasunna, according to the parents' social media accounts.
'At a loss for words'
On a GoFundMe page created on Wednesday, Carlo Ventricelli, who said he was the couple's nephew, appealed for help with burial costs.
"Kellie and Anthony’s lives were tragically taken on March 7, 2023," he wrote. "Due to the shock of this sudden loss, our family is not prepared for the financial responsibilities that come along with the handling of funeral expenses and other costs."
"There will be much more added to this page once we allow ourselves time to process this enormous tragedy. We are still learning more about the details, but an investigation is still underway."
Morris County Sheriff James Gannon said the county is mourning the loss along with the Roxbury community and is working closely with the police department, town council and school. He reiterated that the matter "appears to be a domestic violence" incident, based off of the investigation and evidence at the scene.
Roxbury Mayor Jim Rilee said the community is "at a loss for words" and thanked the school for supplying counselors for students who are seeking support. A prayer service for the family will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday at the St. Therese Parish on Main Street in Succasunna.
In a Facebook post Wednesday morning, Roxbury school district officials acknowledged the death of one of their students, though they gave no other details.
"It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of the loss of one of our high school students," the district said. "The high school administration and staff have coordinated supports and resources for students and staff who may need them."
Police knocked on doors in the area Tuesday to see if anyone heard anything unusual in the house the previous night, neighbors said in interviews Wednesday.
The family had lived in the house for about 20 years, neighbors said. They always decorated for holidays and had recently swapped out their Valentine’s Day decorations for St. Patrick’s Day decor.
Jackie Rich would occasionally see the family in the neighborhood but said she did not know them well, nor did she hear anything out of the ordinary Monday. She was shocked to hear of the deaths occurring in such a small, close-knit community.
“It’s just so tragic,” she said. “You just never know. It breaks your heart — so sad.”
By Thursday morning, the GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $47,000.
"To be open and honest, this will be for three burials and all costs involved with trying to lay the entire family to rest," the post advised. "The third will be for my uncle, Peter Ventricelli. With the loss of the family comes the loss of our family’s business. The business was the sole income keeping my grandparents in the house that they built in 1965. Any additional funds will go towards keeping my grandparents in their home."
Staff writer Liam Quinn contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Roxbury NJ father killed wife, son and himself, police say
