Massachusetts authorities search for suspect in wife killing
- Aaron Pennington, 33, sought in wife's murder in Gardner, Massachusetts
- Police found Breanne Pennington shot in the face; 4 children ran to neighbors
- Aaron is armed and dangerous, still at large; authorities urge caution
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(NewsNation) — Authorities are looking for Aaron Pennington, 33, who is the prime suspect in the murder of his wife, Breanne Pennington, 30, in Gardner, Massachusetts.
On Sunday morning, Gardner police responded to a disturbance call after their four children ran to a neighbor’s home. On arrival, the police discovered the lifeless body of Breanne Pennington, who was shot on the face.
Pennington is described as a 6’2″ white male weighing approximately 175 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. He is believed to be “armed and dangerous.”
In a manhunt briefing Tuesday night, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., said Pennington is believed to be alive and in the woods.
The neighbor dialed 911 because Pennington’s children had come to her house scared, “because they could not find their father and their mother was in her bedroom crying,” NBC Boston reported.
On Sunday night, investigators discovered Pennington’s BMW in a wooded area at Camp Collier in Gardner after a bow hunter found the vehicle. The search area is an extensive 175 acres, police said.
Surveillance footage and interviews indicated ongoing marital problems, according to Gardner District Court records. Breanne Pennington planned to relocate with the kids to Texas due to concerns about her husband. Aaron Pennington faced mental health issues and had made suicide threats.
The Massachusetts State Police Special Tactical Operations Team, along with MSP K-9 Unit teams and the MSP Air Wing, conducted an extensive search of the surrounding wooded area, but Pennington remains at large.
The children aged 2, 5, 7 and 9 are in the custody of Child Protective Services, Early Jr. said.
“I know (Aaron) has some mental health issues that (Breanne) tried to get him to get help for, but he just wouldn’t,” Breanne Pennington’s sister, Brooke Pertile, told NBC Boston. “He just robbed my nieces and nephews of a fantastic mom and robbed me of a sister and everybody else of their friend.”
Neither Pennington had a Massachusetts firearms license; however, Breanne had a gun for self-defense at home, according to the court records. During the search, no firearm was found, but three shell casings were discovered in the bedroom.
According to Pennington’s LinkedIn profile, he previously held a senior supervisor role at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. A spokesperson from Raytheon informed NBC News that Pennington hasn’t been employed at the company for some time.
Authorities are urging the public to exercise extreme caution.
Anyone who sees Aaron Pennington should not approach him, but call 911 immediately. Anyone with information on Pennington’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Massachusetts State Police at 508-829-8236 or the Gardner Police Department at 978-632-5600.
