New Milford Double Homicide 911 Audio Released

NEW MILFORD, CT — New Milford police have released audio of the 911 call in which a witness reported seeing the slayings of a man and woman as they sat in a pickup truck at the intersection of Routes 7 and 55. Those victims have since been identified as Katie Rose Pladl, 20, and her adoptive father, Anthony Fusco, 56.

New Milford Police Chief Shawn Bonye said the weapon used in the slaying was an Arrow, AR-15-styled assault rifle, and he believed it was the same rifle Steven Walter Pladl, 45, used to kill himself inside his vehicle in Dover, N.Y.

Steven Pladl and Katie Pladl were facing incest charges in North Carolina, according to media reports. Their 7-month-old son, Bennett, born as a result of the incest relationship, was in the custody Steven Pladl's mother.

In another 911 call released by North Carolina police, Steven Pladl’s mother said he confessed to killing Bennett. That child was also found dead Thursday in the Knightdale home where the Pladls used to live, police said.

Boyne said Pladl called Katie Rose Pladl’s adopted parents around 8 p.m. Wednesday, saying he was going to go to their Dutchess County home, and that he wanted to take Katie Rose Pladl back to North Carolina.

Once New Milford Police discovered the bodies of Katie Pladl and her adoptive father, they put out a notice to area police agencies to be on the lookout for the suspect’s vehicle described as a light blue mini-van with North Carolina registration. The suspect’s vehicle was spotted by a Dutchess County Probation Department officer on Dog Tail Corners Road, east of Berkshire Road in the town of Dover, police said.

Katie Pladl was born in January 1998 to Steven Pladl and her mother and then legally adopted out of state. When Katie Pladl turned 18, she used social media to reach out to her biological parents, according to warrants. Steven Pladl eventually left his wife to be with Katie, warrants say.

Officials are continuing their investigation of the incident.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for additional updates.

To sign up for New Milford breaking news alerts and more, click here.

Patch Editor Kimberly Johnson contributed to this story.

Photos courtesy of police