Authorities are investigating an apparent murder-suicide after a family of four was found dead last week in their Pennsylvania home.
Paul Swarner, 35, Karen Swarner, 32, and their two young children were found dead in their house in Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania, on the morning of Friday, Jan. 24, according to police and a public report by the Westmoreland County Coroner.
Law enforcement believe Paul Swarner shot and killed his wife and two children before killing himself, Trooper Steve Limani of the Pennsylvania State Police explained in a press conference Friday, covered by WTAE.
“It’s unthinkable, unfathomable. To be honest with you, I don’t have the words to describe how awful it is,” Limani said. “You’re talking about your wife, but then a 5-year-old and a 1-year-old. It’s just devastating.”
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Authorities believe the last person to have spoken with the family had “a normal conversation” with Karen on Wednesday, Limani said, adding, “There was no, what you’d consider strife or any type of concern of, fear of endangerment.”
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The following day, Paul’s parents tried calling the family in the afternoon but did not hear back from them. Karen’s father then called 911 at 11:30 p.m. Thursday.
Limani noted that authorities recovered a Ruger .22 from the home, adding, “It appears that was the firearm that was used.”
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When asked about a possible motive, Limani said, “We’re trying to see if there’s a reason. There’s maybe a baby-camera… that we’re trying to look through to see if there’s anything that took place. To see if there was a triggering point or something that would’ve caused Paul to have these, experience these thoughts.”
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“We don’t have any domestic violence history when it comes to the state police being involved in anything [in] that particular household,” he added.
Limani said the couple was married for about 10 years and had an “all-American family,” adding, “It looked like a very loving household with pictures and all the things that you would ever think that you would walk into a home and see.”
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A reporter at Friday’s conference noted that this incident marked the second murder-suicide in Westmoreland County since Christmas Eve, 2024.
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“Generally in the holidays we do have most of our problems…when it comes to mental health,” Limani said.
“I don’t know what was going on with Paul. I don’t know why it would’ve happened,” he added. “I hope we’re able to find some answers.”
Authorities asked that anyone with information contact state police in Greensburg.
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