DOVER – The man found
dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a minivan alongside a Dover
road on Thursday had just killed his daughter, to whom he was also married,
and her adoptive father in nearly New Milford, Connecticut.
Police said Steven Pladl, 43, of Knightdale, North Carolina has killed
the seven-month-old son he had with his wife/daughter, Katie Pladl, in
North Carolina before driving north and killing the other Katie and her
adaptive father, 56-year-old Anthony Fusco.
Police said Steven Pladl’s mother said he was upset because his
daughter had broken up with him.
He called his daughter’s adoptive family in New Milford on Wednesday
night saying he was going to see them, police in Connecticut said. He
shot and killed Katie Pladl and Fusco as they were out running errands.
The murders occurred around 8:40 Thursday morning and New Milford Police
issued a bulletin to all law enforcement agencies in the area. A Dutchess
County probation officer spotted the minivan and called it in. When several
police officers from a number of agencies converged on the vehicle, the
motor was still running but Pladl was dead inside.
