A married couple was found viciously slain after a “violent break-in” at home in Massachusetts just before they were set to celebrate the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary, cops said.
The bodies of the couple, in their 70s, were discovered along with the wife’s mother, in her 90s, in the Newtown residence at about 10:15 a.m. on Sunday after the family didn’t show up for church, according to WCVB Boston.
The killings prompted cops in Newton to warn residents to keep their eyes peeled and their doors locked.
Their names have not been released. Cops said the trio died from “apparent stab wounds and blunt trauma,” according to a press release from Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.
There was also evidence of a violent entry, she said.
“We are again asking people to remain vigilant, check door and window locks and report any suspicious activity to Newton Police,” Ryan said, adding that the town of about 90,000 just west of Boston will see more cops on the streets during the next few days.
Authorities have asked homeowners to check their doorbell cameras and home security systems for any videos that might help them solve the heinous crime.
Cops are also trying to figure out if the slayings are connected to another attempted break-in that happened nearby, authorities said.
The married couple was supposed to celebrate their 50th anniversary after the mass, according to their local pastor, Rev. Dan Riley of Our Lady Help of Christians.
“Three beloved parishioners – salt of the earth people, just great, great people – and it’s a terrible tragedy,” Riley said.
The wife’s mother was in her 90s, the station said.
The incident has left cops worried and the neighbors on edge.
“I am very concerned with such a violent crime taking place whereas these individuals could be, are still at large,” Newton Police Chief John Carmichael Jr. said.