Aaron Pennington, Massachusetts wanted in shooting death of wife, Breanne Pennington at their Gardner home amid ongoing marital issues. Manhunt underway.
Where did it all go so horribly wrong? Massachusetts authorities have launched a manhunt for a husband after the man’s wife was found shot dead at their Gardner home over the weekend. Notice of the ‘heinous’ crime came after the couple’s four young children alerted neighbours to their mother’s ‘shocking’ death.
Aaron Pennington, 33 according to a Mass. State police release is wanted in connection to the shooting death of his spouse, Breanne Pennington, 30, at the couple’s Gardener home.
Breanna Pennington was found by police in an upstairs bedroom with an apparent gunshot wound to her face Sunday morning. The discovery was made after the couple’s four children – ages 2, 5, 7, and 9 — went over to a neighbor’s house to ask for help, according to a criminal complaint cited by WCVB.
3 shell casings found in the bedroom
‘Four children came over to her house scared because they could not find their father and their mother was in her bedroom crying,’ a trooper reportedly wrote in the complaint.
‘The four children were known to reside with their parents at 42 Cherry Street in the city of Gardner. The children also stated that their father’s vehicle was no longer in the residence’s driveway.’
Along with the victim, three shell casings were also found in the bedroom, but no weapon, WCVB reported.
Police found the wanted man’s white 2013 BMW late Monday afternoon at a Boy Scout camp in Gardner, CBS News reported, but Pennington was not in the vehicle.
Come Monday afternoon, Gardner police issued a shelter-in-place for residents near part of the city that is heavily wooded, the Gardner News reported.
‘Police are asking all residents of the Kelton Street area to remain in their homes and avoid going out,’ the report stated. ‘A search and investigation is ongoing in that area for a suspected felon who is considered armed and dangerous.’
Wife had planned on leaving troubled marriage
Locals were advised not to approach Pennington and instead call 911, police said.
Some four hours later, Gardener police lifted the shelter in place, stating that ‘Following an exhaustive search conducted by the Gardner Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police, the area has been deemed to be safe with no threat to public safety.’
The wanted husband’s immediate whereabouts wasn’t known, as authorities continued to search surrounding areas.
The husband so far has been charged with possession of a firearm without a license to carry, the Telegram and Gazette reported.
Investigators said the couple was facing ‘marital issues for quite some time,’ according to the police documents reported on by the news outlet.
Breanne Pennington planned to move to Texas with their kids to get away from her husband, police reportedly wrote.
She was known to have a gun at the home for her protection, police docs said, while also noting Aaron Pennington deals with ‘mental issues and had threatened suicide.’
The four kids are in custody of the state Department of Children and Families, the Telegram and Gazette reported.
Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson said in a statement Monday that while several people have reached out to the city about holding a vigil, no permits will be issued for safety reasons with Pennington still at large.
