In the quiet community of New Freedom, Pennsylvania, a grim discovery was made on the evening of Thursday, April 16, 2020, at a residence on South Constitution Avenue. Authorities responding to a report of a structure fire stumbled upon a heart-wrenching scene that had nothing to do with the unattended item found cooking on the stove. Inside the home, the lives of a respected couple had been tragically cut short in what was determined to be a double murder-suicide.
The victims were
identified as 66-year-old Dr. Elizabeth Schlenoff and her 71-year-old husband, Dr. David Schlenoff, Sr. The York County Coroner's Office confirmed that both had been fatally shot. The investigation concluded that their 28-year-old son, David Jonathan Schlenoff, was the perpetrator of the horrific act. After killing his parents, he then turned the gun on himself, taking his own life. All three individuals resided in the home where their bodies were discovered.
The initial call to emergency services was for a fire, which turned out to be minor and caused by the unattended cooking. It was upon entering the residence to address the fire that first responders were met with the devastating aftermath of the shootings. The Southern Regional Police Department secured the scene, and it was quickly determined that there was no ongoing threat to the public. The coroner's office stated that autopsies would not be performed and that the family had been notified of the tragic events. The motive behind the shocking and violent incident remains unclear.
