Body of suspect sought in Pennsylvania killings found

A body was found on Tuesday near the home of an Iraq War veteran suspected of fatally shooting six family members in Pennsylvania, a district attorney said.

The Montgomery County district attorney did not immediately confirm media reports that the body was that of suspect Bradley William Stone (35) of Pennsburg.

Stone was being sought in the deaths on Monday of his ex-wife, her mother, grandmother, sister and two other family members, including his 14-year-old niece.

The two-day manhunt prompted lockdowns and cancellations of schools around Pennsburg, about 80km (50 miles) northwest of Philadelphia, said Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman.

Stone’s 17-year-old nephew, Anthony Flick, was seriously wounded in the attacks and hospitalised in stable condition, said Ms Ferman said.

Eric Frein

Stone’s daughters, ages 8 and five, were safe. He had taken them from his ex-wife’s house and left them with a neighbour on Monday, said Ms Ferman. His current wife and infant child also were safe.

The killings set off Pennsylvania's second recent high-profile manhunt after a seven-week chase to capture survivalist Eric Frein (31) accused of killing a state trooper in September.

Stone suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, reported the Bucks County Courier Times. He enlisted with the US Marine Corps Reserves in 2002, was deployed to Iraq and was honorably discharged at the rank of sergeant in 2011, according to military spokesman Capt Dustin Pratico.

Autopsies were under way on Tuesday. A law enforcement source said some of the bodies had stab wounds, some gunshot wounds and some may have had both.

Stone and his ex-wife, Nicole (33) filed for divorce in 2009 and continued to have a custody battle. Stone asked a court on December 5th to grant him custody on an emergency basis, according to court records.