Suspected Duluth killer confessed to killing family in social media post

DULUTH — In a chilling social media publish, a Duluth man confessed upfront his plans to take his personal life after killing his aunt and uncle and their two younger kids.

“I now make this publish to say, I’ve made the completely horrid selection in not solely taking my life, however the lives of my aunt … my uncle … and my two candy, past angelic cousins,” Brandon Cole-Skogstad wrote Wednesday on Fb.

An hour later got here a second publish: “Good bye now. I like you all.”

Inside hours of these posts, Duluth police discovered the our bodies of Riana and Sean Barry and their two daughters, 12-year-old Shiway and 9-year-old Sadie, useless within the Barry residence within the metropolis’s East Hillside neighborhood.

They’d been killed with a 9-millimeter handgun whereas they have been sleeping, presumably late Tuesday evening or early Wednesday, Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken stated.

Cole-Skogstad was additionally discovered useless in the home, together with the Barry household canine. The gun was close to his physique. Police are calling the case a murder-suicide and stated it is Duluth’s worst killing in no less than 30 years.

“It’s a horrible, traumatic occasion,” Tusken stated at a Thursday afternoon information convention. “All of us have actually heavy hearts.

“It is only a unhappy day.”

Based on Tusken, police in close by Hermantown bought a name about 11:20 Wednesday morning to test on Cole-Skogstad, 29, who was described as having a psychological well being disaster. After they arrived at his residence, he wasn’t there.

Hermantown police situated a member of the family who stated Cole-Skogstad had despatched a message to relations saying he supposed to hurt himself and different relations. Duluth police have been known as and instructed they need to test the Duluth residence of Cole-Skogstad’s aunt and uncle, the place he had beforehand lived. They have been additionally instructed that Cole-Skogstad might need a weapon.

About 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, police knocked on the door of the Barry residence and heard what they believed was a single gunshot.

They retreated and introduced in robots and drones to look the property. A tactical workforce went into the house about 3 p.m. and located the our bodies.

Tusken stated neither Hermantown nor Duluth police had any file of calls involving Cole-Skogstad. He has no legal file, in accordance with Minnesota courtroom data.

Counseling is being supplied to the officers and others who responded to the scene, Tusken stated. The partitions of the house have been lined with household pictures, he stated, making the horror of what happened extra vivid.

“You’ll be able to’t unsee it,” Tusken stated, choking up.

Psychological well being wrestle

In his Fb publish, Cole-Skogstad stated he had struggled with psychological well being points.

“I’m 29 years outdated and have suffered a few years of psychological sickness. I nearly by no means sought out assist as a result of I felt I by no means deserved it,” he wrote. “I want so badly to return and make higher decisions in life. Ignore the hatred thrown at me by my friends for thus lengthy.

“I want I may have simply accepted the love I used to be given by my household I cherished a lot, however could not specific it.”

The household’s tidy, inexperienced home is in a close-knit neighborhood the place many residents have lived for many years. Sean Barry labored an oilfield job in Alaska, neighbors stated, whereas Riana Barry was a social employee who had transitioned to largely staying residence and caring for her kids.

“They have been very nice individuals — very pleasant,” stated Jodi Eaton, who lives throughout the road. Riana Barry was “very hands-on” along with her kids, Eaton stated.

“She did numerous arts and crafts with the kids; she was all the time taking them locations,” she stated.

Heartbreaking video

In a video posted on Fb by Riana Barry in February, a smiling, blissful Sadie Barry launched her marketing campaign to promote 4,000 bins of Woman Scout Cookies.

“Hello! My identify’s Sadie!” she stated, carrying her Woman Scout sash and waving on the digicam. Sadie ran by means of the cookie varieties, providing feedback on every one.

“Shortbread: they’re principally like bread however in cookie kind,” she stated. “Skinny Mints: very minty.

“Peanut Butter Patties: an excessive amount of peanut butter,” she stated. “Caramel DeLites: caramelly and scrumptious.”

Her mom, filming the clip, requested what was her favourite half about promoting cookies.

“Nicely, it is really assembly new individuals,” Sadie replied. “I identical to assembly new individuals and promoting cookies.”

The place to search out assist

In the event you or somebody you already know is scuffling with suicidal ideas, name the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). Or textual content HOME to 741741 to attach with a Disaster Textual content Line counselor.