Roger Hanks, a 76-year-old Pennsylvania man, faces two counts of first-degree murder after allegedly shooting his 75-year-old wife, Judith Hanks, and his 37-year-old daughter, Emily Hanks, in their East Marlborough Township home.
According to reports from ABC 6 and FOX 43, Hanks told police that he was cleaning his Smith & Wesson 2.0 9 mm handgun when he got into an argument with his wife.
He allegedly threatened her, stating that the gun would go off if she continued to provoke him. The situation escalated when his wife criticized him for not doing anything and complained about his lack of activity.
Hanks claimed that the gun accidentally discharged while pointed at his wife’s chest during the altercation. When his daughter intervened and approached him angrily, he reportedly fired the gun again, resulting in her death as well.
During questioning, Hanks asserted his prowess with firearms, stating that he frequently competes and is the “best of the best” in marksmanship. He also admitted to consuming alcohol earlier in the day before the incident.
After the shooting, Hanks contacted a friend and confessed to shooting his wife, prompting the friend to notify the police. When authorities arrived at the scene, they found the mother and daughter unresponsive in the kitchen. Despite efforts to revive them, both were pronounced dead at the hospital.
Roger Hanks is currently held without bail at Chester County Prison. District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe condemned the killings, describing them as senseless and unfathomable reactions to a basic dispute. He commended the swift response of the Pennsylvania State Police in apprehending Hanks.