Dad JOSEPH LONGO stabbed his wife to death before offing himself.
Once again, the press revels in the "mystery" of it all.
I love a good mystery. Really I do. But there's no mystery to murder-suicides, 90% of which are committed by abusive men against their intimate partners or ex-intimate partners. It's pure narcissism and control--the ultimate act of violence and annihilation.
Note that the couple had four children, and that one of the sons found his mother's body and his dying father. Do you think Dad ever gave two seconds of thought to how his actions might impact or traumatize the kids? Of course not. Because for narcissists it's always about them, never about anybody else.
And the reporters tell us (presumably with a straight face) that there was no police record regarding domestic violence at the family's address. For God's sake, DAD WAS A COP! And do you think he ever let Mom forget it? Who the hell was she going to call? Use some brains here, folks.
Do some research on police officers and domestic violence. It might open your eyes.
And talk to Mom's family and friends, not just the cops. They probably know something about violence and abuse in the family.
http://www.uticaod.com/news/x1699602124/Police-investigating-Cosby-Manor-Road-incident
Troopers: Utica police investigator Longo kills wife, self in Deerfield
By ROCCO LaDUCA and COURTNEY POTTS
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Sep 28, 2009 @ 04:30 PM
Last update Sep 29, 2009 @ 10:53 AM
DEERFIELD — Whatever drove Utica police Investigator Joseph Longo Jr. to stab his wife to death before then fatally stabbing himself inside their Deerfield home Monday afternoon may forever remain a mystery.
After one of Longo’s young sons discovered his injured parents upon returning home shortly before 4 p.m., his father was alive long enough to mutter to a state trooper that he had killed his 38-year-old wife, Kristin Longo, before turning the knife on himself, officials said.
Roughly 30 minutes later, 41-year-old Joseph Longo was dead at St. Elizabeth Medical Center.
As a result, four children now are without their mother and father, the Utica Police Department once again finds itself having to cope with the shockwaves of tragedy, and the questions behind what went wrong that day may never have easy answers.
“We will do an investigation and try to determine why he did what he did, but it’s certainly going to be difficult,” state police Troop D. Capt. Frank Coots said during a news conference Monday evening outside the Longos’ 10508 Cosby Manor Road home.
“Joe’s the only one who knows,” Coots said, while Utica police Chief Daniel LaBella, Deputy Chief Mark Williams and Criminal Investigation Division Capt. James Watson stood nearby.
Joseph Longo had been with the police department for more than 13 years.
“Right now, the police department has to mourn together and help us to heal through this event,” LaBella said. “We’re going to pull together and get through this. We’re going to take this day to day.”
The scene
As word spread among the homes neighboring the Longos’ residence shortly after 4 p.m., frantic family members and friends reacted by collapsing to the ground in tears or screaming for family members. Even a thrashing rainstorm that unleashed itself briefly that afternoon didn’t calm the swell of emotion.
The Longos have four children – two boys ages 9 and 17, and two girls ages 13 and 15, officials said. It is believed they were students within the Whitesboro school district.
Three of them lived with their parents, he said, but Coots would not confirm which son walked in upon his dead mother and injured father.
The child then ran to a neighbor, who called 911, Coots said.
The incident occurred on the second floor, Coots said, and both Joseph and Kristin Longo were found in the same room. There were no signs that a struggle had occurred prior to the stabbings, Coots added, and it remains unclear how much time passed after Joseph Longo stabbed his wife several times before he stabbed himself.
The weapon was recovered, and it appeared to be a kitchen knife, Coots said. Joseph Longo’s police issued duty pistol was not present at the scene, he said.
A “For Sale” sign was posted on the front lawn of the Longo residence, which sits right across the street from the Fraternal Order of Eagles private club and the Eagle Hills Golf Course, about a half mile from Walker Road.
Utica police shocked
Himself shocked by Longo’s actions, LaBella then offered the department’s sympathies to the family and friends of the real victim in this tragedy – Kristin Longo and her children.
The police department, no doubt, will experience the grief of losing another member more than two years after Utica police Officer Thomas Lindsey was murdered in 2007, LaBella said. But Lindsey’s death occurred under very different circumstances, and this time the department also has to cope with a troubling reality – that a police officer took another person’s life.
While LaBella said no signs existed that Joseph Longo was troubled or capable of such behavior, he cut short any attempt to discuss whether the pressures of police work played a role in this incident.
“That had nothing to do with this,” LaBella said sharply. LaBella had worked with Longo for about five years, and he was an excellent officer, he said.
According to O-D archives, Joseph Longo had received awards from the Utica Police Department several times for honorable or meritorious service, most recently in 2008 and 2009.
He also served as the liaison between the police department and school resource officers in the Utica school district.
While there was no record of any police agencies responding to the Longo residence for any prior domestic incidents, Coots said police will explore whether any trouble had developed between the couple that might shed light on this tragedy.
“There are going to be a lot of questions of why,” Coots said.