Florida Dad Stabbed Wife And Kids Multiple Times Before Trying To Kill Himself Near Disney World
Jan. 23 2020, Published 10:36 p.m. ET
The Florida father who confessed to killing his wife, three children and dog in their home near Disney World stabbed them in the stomach repeatedly before trying to take his own life.
According to the preliminary autopsy reports, Anthony Todt, 44, killed wife Megan, 42, children Alek, 13, Tyler, 11, and Zoe, 4, and dog Breezy at least a week before he was arrested at gunpoint on January 13.
The reports note the bodies were decomposing, and each had stab wounds, the MailOnline.com reported.
Megan had small stab wounds, 3.2 X 1.1 centimeters and Alex had a 5.9 X 3 centimeter stab wound, according to the reports. Alex’s body was decomposing with a brown-green color and his feet were mummified.
Zoe had no obvious sign or injury the report noted.
All of the bodies were found together in a bedroom on the second floor of the home the autopsy reports revealed.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Todt, 44, has been charged with multiple counts of homicide. He also faces a charge of animal cruelty for slaying the dog.
“He is cooperating with the investigation, I can tell you that much,” Sheriff Russ Gibson said of the “despicable” crime.
Police have yet to release a motive for the killings, but Todt was reportedly drowning in debt, and the family was facing eviction from their Celebration, Florida home, a gated community designed and developed by Disney.
When police arrested Todt, the report indicated he was shaking and barely able to stand after taking Benadryl in an attempt to kill himself.
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Doctors have yet to officially determine the cause of the family members' deaths, and a final decision could take up to two months while lab results on bodily fluids are tested.
Todt has a history of tragedy, as RadarOnline.com revealed his father was tossed behind bars for a similar crime 40 years ago.
In 1980, when Anthony was 4 years old, he witnessed a stranger try to kill his mother, Loretta Todt, inside their home. According to a Philadelphia Inquirer article from 1981, he heard his mother scream in the middle of the night before seeing her “wrestling” with a man — later identified as John Chairmonte — in bed. Chairmonte eventually shot Loretta in the eye and ran off.
Anthony’s mother survived the shooting, though she lost an eye and was left with a bullet lodged in her skull. It was later discovered that Anthony’s father, Robert Todt, was responsible for the attack. The man — who admitted to having an affair at the time — was convicted of hiring Chairmonte, a former special education student at the school where he worked, to murder Loretta.
Robert Todt was sentenced to 10 to 20 years for attempted murder, criminal solicitation and conspiracy. Loretta eventually divorced him and moved away.