On a tragic day in April of 2018, a 20-year-old female named Katie Rose Fusco Pladl was killed in a violent series of events that spanned multiple states. The incident, which occurred on April 12, 2018, also resulted in the death of her adoptive father, 56-year-old Anthony Fusco, in Gaylordsville, Connecticut.
The story began when Katie, who was adopted as an infant, reconnected with her biological parents upon turning 18.
This reunion led to an incestuous relationship with her biological father, Steven Pladl, with whom she later had a child. The couple was arrested on incest charges in January 2018. As a condition of her bond, Katie was required to live with her adoptive parents in New York and was ordered to have no contact with Steven Pladl.
The tragic events unfolded after Katie reportedly ended her relationship with her father over the phone. In response, Steven Pladl carried out a premeditated attack. He first killed their seven-month-old son, Bennett Pladl, in Knightdale, North Carolina. After murdering the infant, he drove to Connecticut where he located Katie and her adoptive father, Anthony Fusco. He opened fire on their pickup truck, killing them both.
Following the double homicide in Connecticut, Steven Pladl fled to Dover, New York. There, his vehicle was located by law enforcement. He was found inside, having died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The investigation concluded that Steven Pladl was the sole suspect in the murders of Katie Pladl, Anthony Fusco, and Bennett Pladl, and that the motive was revenge after Katie terminated their relationship.
