Police: Dad kills sons, self on campus visit

[dark_shadows]

news link (http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/09/02/university.shooting.ap/index.html)
SHEPHERDSTOWN, West Virginia (AP) -- A father and his two sons died Saturday in an apparent murder-suicide at Shepherd University, authorities said.

Douglas W. Pennington, 49, shot sons Logan, 26, and Benjamin, 24, multiple times then shot himself once in the chest with a .38 caliber revolver on the Shepherd University campus, state police said. Both sons were identified as Shepherd students.

Police said the elder Pennington traveled to the campus to visit his sons, but authorities offered no reason for the shootings.

The gunfire occurred about 2 p.m. ET in a parking lot, near residence halls on the campus's west side. The Penningtons were pronounced dead at local medical facilities.

[cathieq]

Another tragic event...From what I've read it seems the "visit" with his sons went well up until the father pulled the gun. What in the world could have prompted him to do this? I'll never understand why parents do things like this. I take that back - people who do these things are NOT parents.

[angelmom]

Another tragic event...From what I've read it seems the "visit" with his sons went well up until the father pulled the gun. What in the world could have prompted him to do this? I'll never understand why parents do things like this. I take that back - people who do these things are NOT parents.

It makes you wonder if there were financial problems that would cause the boys to have to drop out of school. Could that dad have been despondent and thought that their lives were "over"?

I can't even comprehend this act. Wonder where mom is.

[Sundayrain]

Douglas Pennington traveled from Grant County to visit his sons. Troopers had spoken that " it is unclear if he traveled with the intent"of using his .38 caliber revolver.
Both boys were Seniors from the town of Scherr.
One boy was shot as he ran and was hit in the hand, and back. The other was at a car and was shot in the head. Then Douglas proceeded to kill himself........
I hope more information comes out as to why a father would be so angered as to kill his sons. Boys, that were seniors and trying to improve their lives by attending college.
What a sad story........just unbelieveable.......
What possiably could have been the reason? There is never going to be a just reason for something like this. It is totally insane..........

[Shadow205]

http://www.shepherd.edu/university/releases/2006/shooting.html

[Sabal]

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060903/NEWS01/60903003

[Sabal]

http://journal-news.net/News/articles.asp?articleID=3441

[CrimeHater]

Among Benjamin’s favorite quotes, he said, were several statements by Woody Allen.

“My one regret in life,” the quote read, “is that I am not someone else.”

There was no information on the Web site relating to Logan Pennington.

The West Virginia State Police are still trying to determine whether Douglas Pennington had traveled to the area with the intent to kill his sons.

if you ask me just from the quote above, something could have happened to them by their father when they were younger and maybe they had comfronted him with it. That or maybe the father was depressed. Either way I think he had FULL intention of going there and doing what he did.

[Sabal]

That quote gave me chills. Why do parents keep killing their children? If they want to die, let them commit suicide and leave their children to live their lives.

[Shadow205]

State Police have talked to Pennington's wife. Martin declined to comment on what the wife may have told troopers.

http://www.wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=13743

[Bobbisangel]

Wouldn't the boys have just started their senior year...didn't school just start? I can't even imagine why this father would murder both of his boys. I wonder if he has other children?

His wife wasn't with him and so it makes me wonder if he didn't go to the college with the purpose in mind. Most men don't carry their gun around anyway and for him to have it on him on the campus makes me believe that that was his intention.

It probably was expensive to put two boys through college at the same time but they were almost done. If he couldn't afford the last year something probably could have been worked out through the college. He didn't have to kill them over tuition.

So he murders both sons and then kills himself and leaves his wife to deal with the whole darn thing....what a thoughtful guy.

[Sabal]

http://journal-news.net/News/articles.asp?articleID=3457

[Sabal]

http://journal-news.net/News/articles.asp?articleID=3496

[Sabal]

http://www.journal-news.net/News/articles.asp?articleID=3529

[Shadow205]

Obits are at this link. http://www.schaefferfuneralhome.com/obituaries.phpBenjamin & Logan were the only children. Prayers to the family.

[curious1]

You know if my father killed me you better not list his name in my obituary, just my mom's. And if my husband killed me, same thing, you better not list his name. I would not want to be tied to them in anyway in my death except when they were listed as my murderer. Just my own pet peeve.

[gardenmom]

I don't think "proceeded in death" was quite the correct phrase. I would have used "joined in death" or something similar. What a tragedy for this family. I wonder if the father and mother were having problems and he was punishing her? I cannot imagine her grief. These young men were almost out on their own and would have great careers which they worked hard for. I'm so sorry for the family.

[Bobbisangel]

So it isn't known why he would do such a thing? I want to know why. Nothing about it makes sense. If money was tight the sons could even have waited a year to finish and could have worked and saved for their last years tuition, etc. Something could have been worked out.

My heart goes out to the mother/wife. She has no one and she has to deal with everything and live with this nightmare for the rest of her life. I'll bet she feels like she didn't even know her husband.


The husband comes from a rather large family. His mom and dad are still living. I'll bet this has just about killed them. To think that their son could do something so horrible.

I'm glad that the wife has a family for support. I'm sure that she needs all of the support that she can get. I hope the husband had some kind of insurance and that their home was paid for or they had the insurance that will pay it off.

[Old Broad]

I just can't fathom why a father would do this but am thinking he wanted to hurt his wife as much as possible. Maybe the note he left will give the answers.

OB

[sassy_texasbelle2]

Bump...any news??

[Shadow205]

Can't find any updates Sassy. I know the Father left a note but cannot find where any details have been released.

[reb]

i am thinking 2 things here:

1) midlife crisis, depression &/or stress that led him to snap... or some kind of family crisis- divorce, financial, an illness... but it would have to be something pretty bad to have so much anxiety built up to the point where someone would kill themselves and their sons.

2) he was being confronted by his sons about something illegal, immoral, or shameful he was involved in, that they knew & were going to reveal, that he did not want anyone to know. this thing had built up in him for so long that he could not take the thought of anyone knowing. the thing that makes this less likely is that he brought the gun (unless he knew beforehand he was being confronted about it).

perhaps he & his wife were having unbearable marital problems and she said she was leaving him-- this is what mentally unstable men do so often in this scenario-- the old 'well if i can't have you, then you can't have me OR your kids' thing.
this seems to make the most sense. but what makes it so unusual is that these were not young kids here.

scary to think this guy got onto the campus with a gun... makes you wonder...

[sassy_texasbelle2]

Can't find any updates Sassy. I know the Father left a note but cannot find where any details have been released.
Thank you...I will watch and see if you find out anything...hugsss

[Peter Hamilton]

Why won't the cops release the contents of the note or at least comment on his motive? What is their freaking problem?

[Drella]

Why won't the cops release the contents of the note or at least comment on his motive? What is their freaking problem?
maybe the mother/wife has asked for it not to be released? Maybe something she doesn't want made public as yet. Who knows. Although that wouldn't stop them maybe making at least a commet as to what the motive was. They don't need to release all the details from the note, if there is stuff in there too personal regarding the family.

Horrific story this.

[Sabal]

http://www.journal-news.net/news/articles.asp?articleID=4327

[PrayersForMaura]

http://www.journal-news.net/news/articles.asp?articleID=4327
Thanks for posting this article. I am diappointed that we will not know the motive behind the father taking his sons' lives. It's so sad.

From the article: "
“Douglas Pennington did leave handwritten notes in his vehicle at the crime scene,” according to a news release from the West Virginia State Police on Friday. “The notes were an explanation for this incident, and he was apologetic for his actions.”


Apologetic?? It's too late for that. Those poor young men didn't get to live their lives to the fullest. It's very sad. :(

[mocity]

Yes, I would love to know what his motive was. Why didn't he just kill himself instead of killing his sons. So sad.