In the quiet town of Akron, New York, a retired engineer named Mark J. Bergum, a 66-year-old white male, met a tragic and unforeseen end on October 6, 2022. His life, marked by a career at Calspan and Fisher-Price and a passion for the outdoors that saw him conquer Mount Whitney with his family, was cut short in a devastating series of events orchestrated by his own son.
The day unfolded as a horror story that rippled through the community. Mark's son, Erik N.
Bergum, embarked on a calculated and violent rampage that began at his own home in Clarence. There, he shot and killed his wife, Mary Beth Bergum. From there, he drove to his mother's residence and ended the life of Nancy J. Bergum, his 64-year-old mother and Mark's beloved wife. The final act of this familial tragedy took place at the Ten-X Shooting Club in Newstead, a place where Mark was enjoying a day of target practice.
Unaware of the horrific acts his son had just committed, Mark was joined by Erik at the shooting range. After some time together, Erik turned his weapon on his father, fatally shooting him. Shortly after, Erik Bergum took his own life, bringing the shocking and violent episode to a close. The motive for this devastating murder-suicide remains largely a mystery to investigators, who found a note in Erik's vehicle that outlined a timeline for the killings but offered no clear reason for his actions.
The Erie County Sheriff's Office investigated the three separate crime scenes, confirming the sequence of events and the relationships of the deceased. The case was determined to be a murder-suicide, with Erik Bergum as the sole perpetrator. As he was deceased, there were no arrests made, no trial to be held, and no convictions to be sought. The community was left to grapple with the profound loss and the unsettling reality of a family destroyed from within, leaving behind four orphaned children and a legacy of unanswered questions.
