On January 25, 2023, authorities in West Manchester Township, York County, Pennsylvania, discovered the bodies of 62-year-old James A. Daub, his wife, 59-year-old Deborah A. Daub, and their 26-year-old daughter, Morgan E. Daub, in the backyard of their residence on Loman Avenue. Each family member had sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Investigations revealed that the family had entered into a meticulously planned murder-suicide pact.
Evidence collected from the scene included multiple written notes from each family member, detailing their intentions and the rationale behind their decision. According to these notes, Morgan had been experiencing severe auditory hallucinations, which she found increasingly unbearable. She expressed a desire to end her life, prompting her mother, Deborah, to decide to join her, not wanting her daughter to die alone. Deborah then persuaded her husband, James, to participate in the pact, as he felt he could not continue living without them.
The family took several preparatory steps before carrying out their plan. They sedated their dog to prevent it from posing any danger to first responders and left detailed instructions regarding their wills, asset disposition, and care for the dog. Notably, all three were found wearing ear protection, presumably to muffle the sound of the gunshots. The sequence of events, as deduced from the notes and forensic evidence, indicated that Deborah shot James, Morgan shot Deborah, and then Morgan took her own life.
Neighbors reported that the Daub family had become increasingly reclusive in recent years, a stark contrast to their previously outgoing nature, which included hosting neighborhood events. Both James and Deborah were former missionaries and ordained ministers, known for providing spiritual counseling. The tragic incident has been attributed to the varying degrees of mental illness experienced by the family members, culminating in their joint decision to end their lives.
Authorities have concluded the investigation, determining that the deaths were the result of a pre-planned murder-suicide pact within the family. No arrests have been made, and no suspects are being sought in connection with this case. The community has been left in shock, mourning the loss of a family that had once been an integral part of their neighborhood.
