Wisconsin National Guard Iraq war vet kills pregnant wife, daughter, dogs and self

How do you read a story like this and not cry? Imagine being the Mom of April Oles-Magdzas going to visit the way she most likely did many times before, but instead of your granddaughter rushing to hug "Grandma" the house is silent because everyone in that house is dead. But don't stop there. Imagine your daughter was anticipating bringing another life into the family. Then imagine the kind of pain that must have lived in that house to cause the death of everyone in it including the family dogs.

Family, friends, fellow National Guardsmen, everyone these people knew will be in shock for a very long time and wondering why it happened. The police having to respond will hang onto the memories of what they walked into. The rest of the country should be asking the same thing. Why are combat veterans still reaching the point of no-return when they are back home and should be safely living out the rest of their lives in peace? Why are families still destroyed? Why are innocent people still paying the price of combat?

Iraq war vet kills pregnant wife, daughter, self
By TODD RICHMOND (AP)

MADISON, Wis. — April Oles-Magdzas was due to give birth to her second daughter Wednesday, a little more than a year after she and her Iraq war veteran husband became new parents.

But when Oles-Magdzas' mother showed up that day at the couple's home in Superior, she found the entire family dead of an apparent murder-suicide.

Superior police said Thursday that Matthew Magdzas, a 23-year-old Wisconsin National Guard soldier who earned a combat badge in the Iraq war, shot and killed his pregnant wife, their 13-month-old daughter Lila, and their three dogs before turning the gun on himself.

Investigators believe the killings occurred Tuesday afternoon, but like friends of the couple, they are still wondering why.

Police Capt. Chad La Lor told The Associated Press that Magdzas did not leave behind a suicide note, and that investigators have found no evidence the couple had money problems or was unduly stressed by the pending birth of their daughter. There was no indication either had been unfaithful.

La Lor said investigators plan to subpoena Magdzas' military medical records to see if he had complained of or been treated for signs of post traumatic stress disorder.

Lt. Col. Jackie Guthrie, a spokeswoman for the Wisconsin National Guard, said the military can not disclose Magdzas' health records to the public.
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Iraq war vet kills pregnant wife daughter self