Authorities have charged Roger Hanks, a 76-year-old man from Pennsylvania, with the murder of his wife and daughter. The fatal incident, described by authorities as a heated dispute while Hanks was cleaning his firearm, took place in their home on April 25, 2024.
The Chester County District Attorney’s Office reports that Hanks is alleged to have shot his wife, 75-year-old Judith Hanks, and his daughter, 37-year-old Emily Hanks, using a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun.
The tragic incident transpired in the family’s home in East Marlborough Township, Pennsylvania, a community located approximately one mile from Unionville High School.
Local authorities were alerted to the incident around 6 p.m. following a distress call. Upon arrival, they discovered the two victims, deceased from gunshot wounds.
Expressing the severity of the incident, Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe remarked, “It is unfathomable that anyone would react this way to a basic dispute.”
The dispute started when Hanks was cleaning his gun. According to the charging documents, he threatened his wife during the altercation and allegedly told her, “If you keep up, this thing is going to go off on you.” The argument escalated, with Hanks telling her if she didn’t shut up and leave him alone he would “plug” her. Hanks pointed the handgun at his wife, fatally wounding her in the chest. Emily Hanks was also shot in the chest by her father as she approached him after witnessing her mother’s shooting, as per police reports.
Hanks is said to have confessed to a neighbor immediately following the shootings that he had killed his family members, prompting the neighbor to call the police immediately.
Hanks was taken into custody without any incident by law enforcement officials and has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder along with other related offenses.
Police records indicate that Hanks had consumed beer and whiskey earlier that day. He reportedly described himself as “the best of the best” when discussing his shooting abilities.
Hanks is currently detained at Chester County Prison without the option of bail. A preliminary hearing is slated for May 8, 2024. If found guilty of the murders, Hanks could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.
Though Pennsylvania law allows for capital punishment, the state has not executed a prisoner since 1999.
