In the late summer of 2016, the quiet shores of Lopez Island, Washington, became the final scene in a grim story that began miles away in Minnesota. Matthew Deyo, a 36-year-old Caucasian male, was found deceased on a beach on August 25, 2016. His death was the result of a gunshot wound in what authorities would rule a murder-suicide. Nearby lay the body of his 40-year-old husband, Aric Babbitt, also deceased from a gunshot wound.
Investigators believe that Deyo fatally shot Babbitt before taking his own life.
The tragic end for the couple came just as a disturbing chapter of their lives was unfolding. In South St. Paul, Minnesota, where they resided, both Deyo and Babbitt had become the subjects of a police investigation. The inquiry was initiated on August 14, 2016, when a 16-year-old boy and his parents came forward to report an ongoing sexual relationship with both men. Babbitt, an elementary school teacher of 15 years, had been placed on administrative leave by the school district just days before his death as the allegations surfaced.
As the investigation in Minnesota was gaining momentum, with authorities discovering more potential victims, Deyo and Babbitt traveled to Washington state. A suicide note found at the scene on Lopez Island indicated that they had visited the island years before and had fond memories of the location. The note also expressed feelings of hopelessness, suggesting that ending their lives was their only way out. The deaths occurred before any criminal charges could be filed, and with the only suspects deceased, the investigation into their alleged crimes was eventually closed. The case concluded without any arrests. Subsequent police reports revealed that a total of eight underage boys had accused the couple of sexual abuse.
