Jeffrey Spaide murder suicide: James & Lisa Goy shot dead by Plains Township neighbor in snow shoveling dispute in northeast Pennsylvania during heavy snow fall.
A disagreement over snow shoveling has led to the deaths of three people in a suspected murder suicide according to Pennsylvania police.
Police were called to West Bergh Street in Plains Township after 9 a.m. Monday for a report of gunfire and someone lying in the street.
‘We are now aware that we have at least two victims, three bodies in total which are apparent murder-suicide,’ said Luzerne County First Assistant District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce.
James Goy, 50, and his wife Lisa Goy, 48, were outside clearing snow when they were shot and killed by 47-year-old Jeffrey Spaide, who lived across the street, police said. Spaide shot himself inside his own home as police came to arrest him.
Witnesses out shoveling their own snow after a winter storm swept across the northeast told police they heard screaming and gunshots, the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reported. When police arrived, with heavy snow still falling, they found Lisa Goy dead in the middle of the street and her husband dead between two parked vehicles.
Graphic: Snow shoveling dispute video shows 3 shooting deaths
⚠️ IMÁGENES FUERTES ⚠️
Jeffrey Spaide mató a tiros a sus vecinos, James Goy y su esposa, Lisa Goy, antes de suicidarse el lunes por la mañana. pic.twitter.com/WUWkT2fFBl— Mas Cerca (@mascercard) February 4, 2021
After shooting them dead he retrieved an AR-15 rifle and shot them each an additional two times.
Plains Township Police Sgt Michael Smith told The Citizens Voice that Spaide, who lived alone, came outside with a handgun and shot the Goys, then went back inside and brought out an AR-15 style rifle.
‘He retrieved the rifle and shot them again,’ Smith said.
Both James & Lisa Goy were fired at an additional two times.
When officers went to his house to arrest him, Smith said, ‘Spaide shot himself.’
‘We heard the shot,’ he said. ‘At that point, we made a tactical entry and he was found with self inflicted gunshot.’
Smith said he used a third weapon — another rifle — to shoot himself.
A total of 15 to 20 shots were fired according to Smith.
‘Apparently there’s been an ongoing dispute between neighbors, some of which involved a dispute about snow disposal and removal,’ District Attorney Sanguedolce told the Citizens Voice. ‘They’re across the street from each other, and when they would remove snow they would throw it across the street at the other person’s property.’
The county coroner pronounced all three dead just before 11:30 a.m. Monday.
The Goys had a 15-year-old son with autism who is now staying with his grandparents.
