Sheriff: Son went ‘over the edge’ before killing parents, committing suicide on Christmas
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — Hamilton County authorities said a double murder and suicide on Christmas Day came after a man went into a fit of rage for an unknown reason at his parents’ home where he and his 8-year-old twin children were staying.
Hamilton County Sheriff Mark Bowen said in a Wednesday afternoon news conference that 48-year-old Todd Moon had been through a divorce and was living with his parents, 84-year-old Donald Moon Sr. and 81-year-old Joyce Moon, in a three-bedroom ranch home in the 11200 block of 191st Street. The shooting was reported around 4:30 p.m. Monday.
The sheriff said that “I’m afraid we may never truly know what set this gentleman off and caused him to do such a horrific thing.”
Todd’s sister was called to the home before the shootings occurred. Todd had asked his sister to take his children, a boy and a girl, from the home, the sheriff said. Todd had custody of his children from a divorce, which court records show occurred in 2007.
As Todd and his sister talked in the home’s kitchen, their mother emerged from a bedroom.
“The mother stepped out of a room, and Todd, in a fit of rage, pulled out a handgun and began firing at his mother. He then went to a back room and began firing at his father,” said Sheriff Bowen. “She gathered up the children, immediately left the residence. … As she was leaving the home, she heard a last gunshot, which she presumed may have been Todd taking his own life.”
Hamilton County Coroner John Chalfin confirmed Todd Moon died of a self-inflicted single gunshot wound to the head, and both Donald and Joyce Moon died of multiple gunshot wounds in an apparent homicide.
Todd’s sister, who was not identified in the news conference, saw the shooting of her mother, the sheriff said, but not the shooting of her father.
The children were in another room and did not see the shooting of the parents, but likely heard them. Todd’s ex-wife lives near Baltimore, and the children are staying with Todd’s sister and receiving counseling. The Indiana Department of Child Services is involved with the family, including Todd’s ex-wife, in trying to determine where the children will stay in the future.
After the parents were shot, Todd’s sister left the home with Todd’s children and tried to call 911, but stress and nerves made it difficult, the sheriff said, so she drove to a Noblesville Fire Department station near 191st Street and State Road 37, about a mile away.
Todd’s sister said she did not know what had caused her brother to go into a rage.
The sheriff said, “There has been no history of any violence or disturbances at the residence. We had no information to indicate that Todd had any criminal history or history of mental illness, so, this really comes as a surprise to many people. … Nothing really to indicate that there were any issues going on here. Certainly that’s something that we were really trying to nail down and identify just exactly what sent him over the edge and caused him to do something so horrific on Christmas holiday.”
Sheriff Bowen added that Todd had a professional background in accounting and owned two handguns. He said a 9-millimeter handgun was used in Monday’s shooting.
The sheriff also explained the broken-out window in the front of the home was caused by law enforcement officers entering the home, not by gunshots. He said upon arrival, Joyce and Todd Moon were found in the foyer area, and Donald Moon was found in a back bedroom.
Less than a mile away that same day, 81-year-old Fred Fowler and his grandson had returned home after spending Christmas afternoon in Speedway. Fowler said he was in disbelief that his neighborhood was a crime scene.
“We’ve lived here 40 some years, and this is as quiet a neighborhood as you could ever live anywhere,” Fowler said. “Shock to, I’m sure, just about everyone out here.”
Fowler said sheriff’s deputies didn’t tell neighbors if the situation was a murder or a murder-suicide, and whether or not there was still a threat to the public.
“We turned on the outside lights and made sure the doors were locked and everything, just stayed inside the house,” Fowler said. “Not knowing what was going on, just murders happening a mile away with dead people. It was kind of nerve-wracking.”
As for losing three family members in one holiday, Fowler said, he can’t imagine the Moon family’s pain, as he was spending a first Christmas without his sweetheart.
“I miss my wife terribly, and we’ve been married 59 and a half, almost 60 years,” he said, explaining his wife’s death two weeks ago. “I can’t imagine the thought of, I think it was the daughter … to come in and find something like that on Christmas Day. It’s incomprehensible. Nothing like that could ever happen to your family but I guess it did.”
Sheriff Bowen also added today, “Obviously, the holidays are a time for family and friends to gather and good times, but, clearly, over the holidays, some folks find themselves in great stress, and so we would certainly encourage folks that are experiencing that to reach out for help. There are plenty of resources available. Again, if you’re feeling bad, you’re having issues, need help and have concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out and we’ll connect you with the resources that you need to get through those difficult times.”(Video below is of the 15-minute news conference by Hamilton County authorities. App users, click here to find the news conference video in the online post.)
