In the late summer of 2017, the quiet community of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was shaken by a tragic event that unfolded within the confines of a family home. Justin S. Halstead, a 29-year-old male, was discovered deceased on August 30, 2017. A United States Army veteran who had served in the Iraq War, Justin was described by those who knew him as a kind and big-hearted man who cherished his family. He found joy in the outdoors, with a passion for hiking, hunting, and swimming.
The circumstances of his untimely death were brought to light when a probation and parole officer was dispatched to a residence in the Hempfield Hill Estates mobile home park in West Hempfield. The officer was there to check on Justin after he had failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance. Upon entering the home, the officer made a grim discovery; both Justin and his 57-year-old father, Scott Halstead, were found deceased inside.
An investigation into the deaths was immediately launched by the Lancaster County authorities. The county coroner, Dr. Stephen Diamantoni, determined that both men had died from gunshot wounds to the head. Following the autopsies, Justin Halstead's death was officially ruled a homicide. His father's death was ruled a suicide. The findings led District Attorney Craig Stedman to conclude that the incident was a murder-suicide, in which Scott Halstead shot and killed his son before taking his own life.
While the investigation established the sequence of events, the motive behind the tragic actions of Scott Halstead remained unclear to officials. The District Attorney noted that by all accounts, the father and son had a close relationship, making the circumstances surrounding the murder-suicide all the more perplexing to those acquainted with the family. The case was closed following the determination that the perpetrator of the homicide was also deceased, leaving a community to mourn the loss of a son and a veteran under deeply sorrowful and violent circumstances.
