New York attorney William Parente killed his wife and two daughters — including a Loyola College sophomore — and then killed himself at a Towson hotel, Baltimore County Police officials said Wednesday.

"William killed his family by means of blunt-force trauma and asphyxiation and took his life by cutting himself," county police Chief Jim Johnson said during a news conference at police headquarters. "We continue to interview family, friends and work associates to try to determine the motive and circumstances behind these violent acts."

William Parente, 59, Betty Parente, 58, Stephanie Parente, 19, and Catherine Parente, 11, of Garden City, N.Y., were found in a 10th-floor room at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel in Towson when hotel staff went to the room shortly before 3 p.m. on Monday after the family failed to check out earlier in the day, according to police.

Police have declined to elaborate on specific injuries to Betty, Stephanie and Catherine Parente, but police spokesman Cpl. Mike Hill said investigators are "pretty sure" Betty and Catherine were killed first and Stephanie was killed later in the day.

"There's no evidence to indicate that they were restrained," Johnson said.

The family had been in town since April 15 visiting Stephanie Parente, who was a sophomore at Loyola College.

Police so far have not released a motive. No notes were left at the scene.

"The Baltimore County Police have learned of allegations that William Parente may be involved in questionable financial dealings," Johnson said.

(Newsday is reporting that Williams Parente owed hundreds of thousands.)

Family members killed one at a time

Johnson said William Parente murdered his wife and children one by one.

"The evidence indicates (Betty) was killed first — and late in the afternoon the older daughter was killed. We still are investigating the timeline of these circumstances,” Johnson said.

Police do know that the family had breakfast together Sunday morning. A hotel employee reported seeing family members in the early to mid-afternoon.

A key card for the room rented to the Parentes was used on Sunday afternoon, police said.

Sometime around midnight, wondering why Stephanie had not returned to the Loyola campus to study for a chemistry test, friends called the hotel room and William Parente answered. He told the roommates that Stephanie "Would be staying with him," Courtney Jolley, a spokeswoman at Loyola College said.

"The investigation leads us to believe (Betty, Stephanie and Catherine) were already dead at that point," Hill said.

William Parente committed suicide in the bathroom with a knife shortly after that call.

Investigators found the bodies of Betty, Stephanie and Catherine in a king-size bed. There was also no evidence to indicate a struggle and the room was not in disarray although Hill said police have not ruled out the possibility that William Parente could have straightened up the room before taking his own life.

Police are still trying to determine the weapon William Parente used to strike his wife and children, Johnson said.

There are several objects in the room that could be the weapon or it could have been something William Parente brought with him and disposed of before his death, Hill said after the Wednesday news conference.

Motive still unknown

Police are still looking into a possible motive for the grisly killings.

"Our investigation continues to determine (Parente’s) state of mind in the hours and days prior to these violent acts," Johnson said.

A police spokesman said prior to the news conference that county officials would not be commenting on an FBI investigation of a so-called investment scheme allegedly involving William Parente, who was a tax and estate attorney in Manhattan.

"That is not our investigation," said Hill.

"Any financial investigation is for other authorities," Hill said, adding that county police would cooperate in those investigations.

Hill referred all questions to FBI officials in New York.

Hill said that the county police’s investigation of the killings has concluded in terms of determining the "who" and "how" of the crime.

“We now know (William Parente) killed the three. We know how he killed the three and we're pretty much done. There's no suspects to look for; there's really no continuing for us other than to try and find out the ‘why.’ "

This story has been updated.

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user comments (3)

user joanna38 says...

This is very strange indeed. Since the police have already determined that the father killed the mother and two daughters in mid afternoon, they will in all probability NOT be looking further into this case. I find it very strange that, regardless of the great love they had for each other, that not one of the females tried to run out of that room to get some help. Scream in the hallway, or just do something. Even the 11 yr old could have done that. There was no way he could have killed all three at the same time and if he killed one after the other, there was at least 2 free at one time and then one free to try and do something. The police say there were no signs that they were bound. Because of the man's financial dealings I do however believe that they could have been watched at their home in NY and then followed, thinking this family may be trying to make some kind of escape from their home.... followed all the way to Baltimore and then killed at a time when most people visiting Baltimore and staying at any hotel, would have been out of the hotel, visiting friends or sightseeing. I also do not believe it took only one person to kill them. My message to the Baltimore Police Department is this...you came to a conclusion too soon. Sounds like the easy way out to me. What do you know about any of the people who's finances were ill-managed by this man? We are going through a crazy time and these are crazy people doing crazy things to get their money back.

Posted 4:26 PM, 04.25.09

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user steph1962 says...

I have been having a hard time with this one also; they think he killed the mom first, so why didn't the 11 year old run out of the room for help. If the older daughter walked in later in the afternoon on such a horrific site why wouldn't she try to fight and run out the door or scream ? There is no mention to any kind of signs of struggle from any of the victims. Although they do have a receipt where he purchase the knife... Just doesn't add up.

Posted 7:37 PM, 04.25.09

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user maress says...

One possibility would be that they were sleeping. If he used a blunt object to kill them it may not have made enough noise to alert the others. We don't know exactly where they were when they were killed. It states above that the three were found together on a bed but they made not have all been there when they were killed. Additionally, the writers above state that someone, even the eleven year old, could have run for help. Can you image though, if they were awake and witnessed this how horrific it would be? I can imagine seeing such a thing and not even having the reality of it register. To watch your father take a blunt object and strike your mother in the head??? I would think if the girls had the physical ability or the 'presence of mind' they would have done exactly that. They were probably in shock. I doubt, that as Joanna stated, it was someone who followed them to Baltimore. There would be evidence to support that. A person could not simply enter the room and one by one kill four people without there being signs of a struggle. Certainly, had the father been a normal person there would have been quite a struggle to protect his family. And why follow them to Baltimore so they could also kill his wife and children? Doesn't really make sense. They also know that the father went to the mall to purchase the knife that he used to kill himself. I think it's pretty conclusive that he did it.

Posted 11:59 PM, 04.25.09

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