NEWTON — Newton’s Nonantum neighborhood is on high alert after police say three elderly men were found dead inside a home on Broadway Street Sunday morning. Middlesex District Attorney Marion Ryan said there was evidence of forced entry into the home and that the victims suffered stab wounds and blunt force trauma.
“We’re asking people to be vigilant,” Ryan said. “It’s a night to lock your doors and windows even if you don’t normally.”
At 10:14 a.m. Sunday, an acquaintance of the victims called 911 to report that three people, believed to be elderly residents of the home, had been found dead. The person or persons responsible for the death have not been caught.
The attempted break-in happened early Sunday morning at a home on Brookside Avenue, about half a mile from the home on Broadway. It is not known if the two incidents are related.
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Ryan asked residents to call Newton police immediately if they hear or see anything suspicious. “Don’t wait until the morning to tell us about it. Call tonight,” Ryan said.
Residents in the Nonantum and Newtonville area are asked to check their home security video for anything unusual. There will be heavy police presence in the neighborhood until someone is caught.
“You never know what’s going to happen to us,” said a neighbor familiar with the family, who did not want to go on camera for fear of safety. The neighbor told WBZ that the three victims were related.
“I know the whole family. They are very close,” the neighbor said.
The names of the three deceased have not been released. Two of the victims were couples celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this weekend, Ryan said.
According to the tight-knit community, the victims were deeply connected to the local church and their absence from Sunday mass worried neighbors.
“These are people who go to church. The only reason they were found was because they weren’t at church, somebody came to see if they were OK,” said neighbor Robin Dickey.
A local priest offered comfort to the community as investigators worked to figure out what happened inside a Newton home Sunday.
Additional officers and dispatchers have been called in, Newton Police Chief John Carmichael said.
“I’m very concerned that a violent crime like this can happen, while this individual, these individuals are still at large,” Carmichael said. “We’re again urging vigilance and paying attention to what’s going on in the neighborhood.”
