Two Days of Fear Ends As Shooting Spree Suspect Found Dead

Brad Stone’s ex-wife told people she was afraid for her life as a tumultuous battle over custody of the couple’s two children escalated.

But friends and neighbors could never dream it would go this far.

Stone killed his ex-wife, Nicole Hill Stone, and five of her family members during a premeditated spree of violence that began early Monday morning and ended with his self-inflicted stab wound, according to authorities.

Stone was found dead Tuesday afternoon about a half mile from his Pennsburg home in Montgomery County. He died from self-inflicted cut wounds in the “center part of his body,” Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said during a press conference Tuesday. A knife was found near his body, she confirmed.

Authorities say it was an extreme case of domestic violence: the couple was in the midst of a vicious custody battle over their two children, Ferman said. Neighbors and friends were aware of the dispute, which had recently escalated, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Just last week, he had made an effort in court to secure emergency custody and that was denied,” Ferman said. She noted Stone was a former Marine, but could not confirm he was being treated for PTSD, as some reports had indicated.

“There’s no valid excuse for snuffing out these lives,” Ferman said. “We’re really numb from what we’ve had to go through.”

Related stories:

• Suspect In Montgomery County Shooting Spree Died Of Self-Inflicted Cut Wounds
• Who is Bradley Stone?
• Possible Sighting of Montgomery County Shooting Suspect Reported in Doylestown
• UPDATE: 6 Dead In Montgomery County Shooting Spree; Suspect Identified

The horror began early Monday morning at a home in Souderton, where Ferman said Stone shot and killed his ex-wife’s sister, Patricia Flick, and her husband, Aaron. Nina, the Flick’s 14-year-old daughter, died from various cuts, Ferman said. Stone also attacked their son, Anthony, who is recovering from “significant” stab wounds, Ferman said.

Stone then targeted his ex-wife’s mother, Joanne Hill, who died of cutting wounds, and grandmother, Patricia Hill, who died of gunshot wounds, Ferman said. Both women lived in Lansdale.

His ex-wife was his last target, authorities said. He shot her at her Lower Salford Township apartment and took their two children, who are now safe in protective custody, Ferman confirmed during the press conference.

“Clearly we are looking at a premeditated killing, a planned killing, an intentional killing,” Ferman said.

As authorities investigated the three crime scenes, a two-county search for Stone began, with SWAT teams raiding his home and searching the small town of Pennsburg for any trace of him.

In what is now believed to be a false alarm, authorities took the search to Bucks County after a man there reported being carjacked Monday night in Doylestown by a suspect who matched Stone’s description.

The search gripped the normally quiet communities in Bucks and Montgomery counties. Schools ordered lockdowns and students in communities miles away were kept indoors as a precaution.

“We live here in a very peaceful community, we don’t typically deal with events like this. To have an event like this really shatter the peace and tranquility of the community is very disturbing,” Ferman said.