Authorities have identified all those killed in a horrific Pennsylvania mass shooting in which a grandfather murdered members of his family before taking his own life.
Six adults, two children and an unborn baby were killed Friday after Matthew Stone Sr, 45, opened fire inside his family’s Erie home and then died by suicide, the coroner’s office confirmed.
The victims included Stone’s wife, Michelle Stone, 44; their sons, Jonathan Stone, 19, and Matthew Stone Jr, 21; and their 24-year-old pregnant daughter, Angelina Stone.
Angelina’s unborn baby, Kyrie, was due to be born Wednesday. Her two other young children, five-year-old Isaiah and Amari’anna, who was nearly two, were also killed in the gunfire, the family said on a GoFundMe page.
Amari’anna’s father, Juicesiyah Alexander Ezekiel, who is also known as Julius Windham, told Erie News Now: “I wouldn’t even put this on my worst enemy. It’s sickening.”
Michelle’s sister, Lora Roberts, 37, and family friend Twila Tanner, 51, were also killed as they tried to protect the children, according to fundraising pages created for the victims.
The coroner classified Stone Sr’s death as a suicide and ruled that the other deaths were homicides.
Roberts was the only victim not pronounced dead at the scene. She was taken to a local hospital, where she later died, the Erie Times-News reported.
Matthew Stone Sr, 45, opened fire inside his family’s Erie home before taking his own life, the coroner’s office confirmed
Stone Sr killed his pregnant 24-year-old daughter, Angelina Stone, her unborn baby Kyrie, who was due Wednesday, and her two young children, five-year-old Isaiah and Amari’anna
Stone Sr also killed his wife, Michelle Stone, 44, and their sons Matthew Stone Jr, 21, pictured, and Jonathan Stone, 19
Ezekiel said during a Sunday vigil outside the home that Stone Sr had never appeared distressed or behaved unusually.
“I think that was a front for him. Him every day, him smiling and being just—you would think nothing like that would happen,” he said.
“It was my baby, bro, and he just took her. Her name was Amari’anna. She was the most beautiful baby God could have created.”
Erie police officers were sent to the scene after ShotSpotter detected two gunshots on the street where the deadly attack occurred, the department said.
Investigators recovered video and audio evidence that captured muffled gunshots coming from inside the home. Shortly afterward, two “distressed” women arrived and began banging on the door, Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said.
The gunman came outside and shot at the women as they ran toward him, then went back into the house.
Officers found the two women dead outside. After deploying a drone and a robot, police entered the home and discovered the bodies of the five-year-old boy and one-year-old girl on the first floor, two women and two young men in a stairwell, and the shooter on the second floor.
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Responding officers found the two women dead outside. After deploying a drone and robot, they went inside and found the bodies of the five-year-old boy and one-year-old girl on the first floor; two more women and two young men in a stairwell; and the shooter on the second floor.
Michelle’s sister, Lora Roberts, left, 37, and family friend Twila Tanner, right, 51, were killed while trying to protect the children
Juicesiyah Alexander Ezekiel (left), who also goes by Julius Windham, said Sunday at a vigil outside of the home that Stone Sr never seemed distressed or out of the ordinary
Lorah declined to discuss motive but suggested mental health could be a factor. He said investigators would talk to relatives and examine the cellphones of the women who were killed outside the home.
‘They knew something was going on at that house,’ Lorah said. ‘We have to figure out what that is.’
Lorah also noted that Stone Sr does have a history of prior interactions with the police department, although the last interaction is believed to have been in 2022.
A GoFundMe for Tanner said: ‘On October 9th in Erie, Pennsylvania, Twila Tanner tragically lost her life while bravely trying to help a friend protect her family from a violent and dangerous individual. In a moment of courage and selflessness, Twila put herself in harm’s way to help others.’
Kellie Eggleston created another donation page in memory of Roberts.
Eggleston’s fiancé, Adam Posland, shared the donation page on Facebook, stating that Roberts ‘gave her life trying to save another.’
Roberts is remembered as a loving mother of five children and as being engaged to her fiancé of 14 years, Jeremy, according to her fundraiser.
Family friends Nicole and Debra Eller said Roberts frequently went to the house to help during Angelina’s pregnancy.
Nicole said that Stone Sr ‘was a good guy, and then he started going downhill with everything.’
‘They were a lovely family. Who would have thought this would ever happen?’ Debra added.
‘Oh my gosh, this is so upsetting. This should have never happened to her or the kids or anybody. His grandchildren, his kids- how can you do that?’
At a news conference on Saturday, Erie Mayor Daria Devlin addressed a portion of her remarks directly to the victims’ families.
‘I am so deeply sorry,’ Devlin said. ‘What happened to you was horrific, and there is nothing that any of us can say today that will make this any easier.
‘Our entire community is with you. We’re grieving with you. And we are here to support you.’
