Addison Man Killed Wife, 2 Sons, Then Himself

Nov 26, 2009 8:40 pm US/Central

Police Say Father Left Note That Showed He Was "Obviously ... Distraught"

ADDISON, Ill. (CBS) ― Four members of what one neighbor called a "wonderful'' west suburban family -- including two boys aged 12 and 8 -- were found dead in their home Wednesday in what has been ruled a murder-suicide, autopsies have determined.

The four, according to the DuPage County Coroner's Office, were identified Thursday. They are:

• Thomas E. Mangiantini, Sr., 48. He died of a single gunshot wound to the mouth and his death has been ruled a suicide.

• Elizabeth A. Mangiantini, 46. She died of a single gunshot wound to the head and her death was ruled a homicide.

• Angelo Mangiantini, 12. He died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head and his death was a homicide.

• Thomas E. Mangiantini, 8. He died of a single gunshot wound to the head and his death was also a homicide.

The family lived at 225 S. Wisconsin St. in Addison, according to the coroner's office. The two boys were the sons of Thomas and Elizabeth Mangiatini, the coroner's office said.

Addison police responded at 6:30 a.m. to a 911 call from the home in the 200 block of South Wisconsin Street. The call came from inside the home from a woman later found dead inside, police said.

When police arrived three or four minutes later, they had to force their way in because the home "was completely secure,'' Addison Police Chief Timothy Hayden said.

Inside, Elizabeth Mangiantini was found in the hallway of first floor, he said. The two boys were found together upstairs, while their father was found in a hallway near the master bedroom on the second floor.

Hayden said two guns and several shell casings were found near the bodies. Police also found a one-page, hand-written note from the father. Hayden declined to discuss the contents of the note, other than to say it's "obviously clear from the note that he was distraught."

There had been no prior disturbances at the residence, police said.
All the family's cars were in the driveway and there were Christmas decorations outside of the beige and brown Cape Cod-style home on Wednesday.

The two boys attended school in Addison School District No. 4.

Schools Supt. John Langton would not confirm which school the boys attended but said there will be crisis counselors available Monday when classes resume.

Close friends of the family describe them as loving.

"I was extremely shocked," said Jacque Graziano, "It hit me like a brick wall when I found out. We just want other relatives to know this family was loved."

Neighbors said they hadn't seen any indications of problems at the house and often saw the boys riding their bicycles.

One neighbor, who asked not to be named, said the family was involved with Boy Scouts. She called them "wonderful people.''

When the woman's house flooded last year, Thomas Mangiantini "was the first one to ask us if we needed help. He was the first one to knock on the door.'"

"Something seriously bad happened, and Tom would never have done anything like this had he been of right mind," Graziano said.