PA - Lindsay Cassidy, 23, & Kolby O'Brien, 3, found strangled, Chester, 28 March 2008

SuziQ

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Hmmm, very odd. No sign of forced entry or trauma to the victims, yet it definitely wasn't carbon monoxide. I'd have to assume poisoning of some kind, then. Anxious to hear the results of the autopsies.
 
Unless it was a suicide pact, I've ruled out drugs because of the baby. And LE hasn't mentioned finding anything along those lines. However, a couple of local posts indicate that this is a drug and prostitution ridden area. It appears that the deaths came fairly quick if they suspected carbon monoxide. It truly is a puzzle. It was an apartment and I assume no other units experienced anything amiss.

ETA: Pest control maybe? Would it act that fast and kill all four at pretty much the same time?
 
The articles quote a friend of the toddler's mom saying that she'd only lived in the apartment row house for about two weeks which had recently been remodeled/renovated. The area is also said to be very high crime. Maybe some sort of poisonous fumes from the renovating or murder? No "visible" signs of trauma.
 
The articles quote a friend of the toddler's mom saying that she'd only lived in the apartment row house for about two weeks which had recently been remodeled/renovated. The area is also said to be very high crime. Maybe some sort of poisonous fumes from the renovating or murder? No "visible" signs of trauma.

TV, I didn't see that where the mom of the little toddlers friend was quoted. Did it say specifically rowhouse apartment? Most of our area is rowhouses. Sometimes they'll turn them into apartments. I was just wondering because it is a high crime area, and perhaps the renovations were done illegally. Another words for zoning and such. Here's another link as some of the comments the people know all of the people that passed in the apartment. Comments ranging from medication to race.http://www.examiner.com/a-1310073~Police_await_autopsies_for_4_found_dead_in_Pa__home.html
 
Rose Fox says she hopes her neighbors didn't scream.
She lives just three doors down from the apartment building in Chester where three young adults and a toddler were found dead Saturday night with no visible signs of trauma.
"I don't know if they went when they were in their sleep or if they were screaming for help," she said. "That's the worst part. That's what makes me feel so bad.
"God, I hope they went in their sleep. I just hope they weren't screaming for our help."
When Fox saw a swarm of cop cars converge on the apartment building on Keystone Road near Ninth Street, she thought it was a drug-related incident.
She thought it was "just another day on the streets" of Chester.
But according to police and fire officials, it was anything but. (more at link)

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/loc...ester_apartment__cause_of_deaths_unknown.html
 
I wonder If they all four ate or drank the same thing. Being that the mother of the girl who lived there reportedly stated that hre daughter had only recently begun to live on her own; I wonder if she may have mistakenly contaminated the food or drinks by re-using a container which had previously contained something toxic, or being careless with pesticide or cleaning chemicals.
 
This is very odd and it sounds like some kind of poisoning to me, it will be interesting to see what the autopsies say.
 
Does anyone know why Lindsey moved in with her friend (couple) here recently?
Secondly I know that the bodies were found in seperate rooms, but which bodies in which rooms and what were they each wearing?
Any cell or land line calls made from this house over the period of time anyone was unable to get in contact with any of them?
 
Does anyone know why Lindsey moved in with her friend (couple) here recently?
Secondly I know that the bodies were found in seperate rooms, but which bodies in which rooms and what were they each wearing?
Any cell or land line calls made from this house over the period of time anyone was unable to get in contact with any of them?

Good questions. I only have an answer for one. IIRC, Lindsey's mom said she wanted to be more independent and take responsibility. Something along those lines anyways. And it appears the autopsy didn't answer anything...

http://cbs3.com/topstories/Dead.Bodies.Keystone.2.687772.html

The Delaware County Medical Examiner's Office says more tests are needed to determine what killed three adults and a child found dead in a Chester row house.

Doctors completed autopsies on the bodies Monday. But officials say more tests are needed to determine what caused the weekend deaths.
 
TV, I didn't see that where the mom of the little toddlers friend was quoted. Did it say specifically rowhouse apartment? Most of our area is rowhouses. Sometimes they'll turn them into apartments. I was just wondering because it is a high crime area, and perhaps the renovations were done illegally. Another words for zoning and such. Here's another link as some of the comments the people know all of the people that passed in the apartment. Comments ranging from medication to race.http://www.examiner.com/a-1310073~Police_await_autopsies_for_4_found_dead_in_Pa__home.html

I followed your link and only the first comment pertains to this case. If you look at the dates of the other comments, they are all prior to this and pertain to other articles. Very interesting reading though.
 
Susie Q-
It appears link orig from Filly via Alaska, says bodies were found in both the living room and the bedroom, but does not specify who was found where.
They may need more tests but the fact that they are witholding the ID of the couple yet has me thinking. Not being an ME myself, I speculate they probably know what killed the toddler due to the differences in metabolism albeit either inhaled vs. ingested and may not be able to find a conclusive enough amount in the adults. There must be something they are witholding about the scene because if I'm not mistaken, this would be enough to call in HAZMAT and that has not been done.
Does anyone know the occupations of the couple?
 
There is a link somewhere online from today that ID's all four victims. I will hunt it down. True about Hazmat. Anything I've thought of (including maybe a neighbor set off a bug bomb) would warrant Hazmat. And yet that wasn't done. IMO, drugs would be the most simpliest of answers. I've ruled out recreational drug use as the cause because babies usually don't recreationally use drugs. Or they shouldn't be! If it is drugs, then that leaves me with murder suicide or suicide pact. Nothing happened to the neighbors, to the investigators in the apartment, and LE states the community is not in danger. So other than what I stated above, I'm coming up with zilch!

ETA: found the names and a link:


Found dead were:
  • Lindsay Cassidy, 23
  • Kolby O'Brien, 3
  • Michelle Fynes, 22
  • John Michael Bryant, 28
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6052050
 
Wow, your quick. Going on a limb, here's my thoughts, if I'm way off, I can take the chides!

Scenario one:
Murder of all 4. Girl was hiding from abusive boyfriend, that would be why she moved in with them and out from her mom, so she was not found, possibly boy's father. Father found them and murdered them via drug of unknown origin. I found it unusual that the Mom phoned the police and asked them to check on her vs. going over herself and then phoning them. Might indicate a fear for her safety as well as her daughter's. In the last video clip you sent, the reporter called it a criminal probe and I believe he states (whether intentionally or phrased incorrectly) that they were all in seperate rooms. Which to me spells homicide. Additionally, there would have been something at the scene indicating a murder/suicide scenario- you can't clean up after your dead. I believe the gas company was called there was nothing obvious at the scene.

Scenario 2:
Murder suicide. Girl moves in and becomes involved with the boyfriend. I really can't explain a different scenario where a child would be killed with the exception of thwarting the identification of someone which at 3 he could.

Scenario 3:
Murder of all 4: Drug related retribution or territory issue
 
Wow, your quick. Going on a limb, here's my thoughts, if I'm way off, I can take the chides!

Scenario one:
Murder of all 4. Girl was hiding from abusive boyfriend, that would be why she moved in with them and out from her mom, so she was not found, possibly boy's father. Father found them and murdered them via drug of unknown origin. I found it unusual that the Mom phoned the police and asked them to check on her vs. going over herself and then phoning them. Might indicate a fear for her safety as well as her daughter's. In the last video clip you sent, the reporter called it a criminal probe and I believe he states (whether intentionally or phrased incorrectly) that they were all in seperate rooms. Which to me spells homicide. Additionally, there would have been something at the scene indicating a murder/suicide scenario- you can't clean up after your dead. I believe the gas company was called there was nothing obvious at the scene.

Scenario 2:
Murder suicide. Girl moves in and becomes involved with the boyfriend. I really can't explain a different scenario where a child would be killed with the exception of thwarting the identification of someone which at 3 he could.

Scenario 3:
Murder of all 4: Drug related retribution or territory issue

That is odd about the mom not going over. It doesn't appear she lived far away. Maybe she was scared of the area? However, that wouldn't stop me.

LE mentions how tidy the apartment was. They made a point in stating that. How tidy? Were these a bunch of neat freaks, or was the apartment cleaned of evidence by a murderer?
 
I don't think she was scared of the area as I suspect she might have been scared of either what or who she would find (boyfriend theory), because there was one article that she actually went into the neighbors house to watch the news but LE would not tell her what was happening when they were on scene. I would not go into a strangers home in that area but that's just me. I agree to your point about LE referring to apartment as immaculate. Again I feel murder, why take the time to kill people using a method so difficult to trace and then leave something behind.
ALthough, as strange as this will sound, if I were ever to become a suicidal/homicidal person I would not want to be found in a sloppy home.
Sorry, upbringing thing, not being glib. The more I see on WS the more frightened I am of what people are actually capable of.
 
ALthough, as strange as this will sound, if I were ever to become a suicidal/homicidal person I would not want to be found in a sloppy home.

I know exactly what you mean! I'm the same way. My son is working hard daily to make sure I never become a suicidal/homicidal person. The things he does to my house....

So the mother could have been afraid to find something bad if there was an incident or something that's happened in the past. Could be. I wonder if they had the same food or drink in their stomachs. Were they in pajamas? Do they appear to have gone to bed and just never woke up?
 
I think those tox tests are going to tell the story here. If it was murder/suicide that's one thing. If it was murder, that's certainly another -- mass murders by poison are really rare, if you think about it. If it was something accidental, like fumes, etc -- wouldn't there have been other evidence? Wouldn't the cops who arrived on scene have been mildly affected? Haven't written about this yet, but it's so mysterious and strange I've been keeping close track.

Steve
 
Yes, exactly! If all 4 were in seperate rooms I would assume hoimicide as well as more than one person was involved. However, I would, like most, lose my life trying to protect my child so there should be signs of that.
Did anyone rap sheets on the adult victims? Are there PFA's outstanding.
I think the coroners office has said they need more tests, not they need to do more tests as the inital autopsy was inconclusive. If it did occur in the middle of the night they may not have any food/drink in their stomachs which would mean they would have to evaluate the tox screeen. Based on that "panel" result it might have to go out to a more sophisticated lab, but at a minmum they know by now if it's a quadruple homicide or murder suicide.
 

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