Roger Hanks, a 76-year-old father, was taken into custody in Pennsylvania after allegedly shooting and killing his wife and daughter in their home. The incident occurred when Roger was cleaning his gun, a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun, and got into an argument with his wife, Judith. Roger threatened his wife, pointing the gun at her and warning her that it would go off if she did not stop. Tragically, the gun fired, fatally striking Judith in the chest. Roger then turned the gun on his daughter, Emily, who tried to protect her mother, shooting her in the chest as well.
Following the shooting, Roger Hanks reportedly told a neighbor that he had killed his family, leading to his arrest on two counts of first-degree murder. Despite the efforts of medics to save the victims, Judith and Emily were both pronounced dead at the scene. Roger admitted to investigators that he had been aiming for their chests when he fired the gun. He also boasted to the police about his shooting abilities, claiming to be the “best of the best” and participating in shooting competitions.
Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe described the incident as a senseless act, stating that it was unfathomable for someone to react in such a way. Roger Hanks is currently being held at Chester County Prison without bail and is facing the possibility of life in prison without parole or the death penalty if found guilty of the charges. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 8, 2024. Although capital punishment is legal in Pennsylvania, the state has not carried out an execution since 1999. The tragedy has left a community stunned by the violent loss of two family members at the hands of their own father and husband.
