New York police identified the two women and two children who were gruesomely murdered in an upstate New York basement apartment.
The Troy Police Department identified the victims as Shanta Myers, 36, her two children, Jeremiah, 11, and Shanise, 5, and Brandi Mells, 22. According to the police, Mells and Myers were in a ‘relationship.’
Little information has been made about the details of the murder, but Police Chief John Tedesco told AP that he has “never seen savagery like this” in 43 years of law enforcement.
Brandi Mells (Troy Police Department)“After being in this business for 43 years, I can’t describe the savagery of a person who would do this,” Tedesco told Fox News. “It was the number of people killed, the manner in which they were killed,” Tedesco said. “And the children being involved.”
No suspect has yet been named and police are asking the public for help as the investigation continues.
According to the New York Times, the manager of the property received a call from the victims’ relatives asking to do a welfare check on the family.
Shanise Myers (Troy Police Department)The victim’s bodies were found on the day after Christmas, but the police chief hopes an autopsy will help clear up the timing.
Tedesco told Fox News that “certain factors were uncovered during the investigation” that may mean the killings were targeted.
Jeremiah Myers (Troy Police Department)“This will be a full-court press, if you will, until we bring someone to justice,” Tedesco told Fox News.
The locals in Troy, a city of 50,000 seven miles from the state capital of Albany, were shocked to learn about the murders. Before the murders discovered on Tuesday, there were only two homicides in Troy all year. The annual average is six murders, Tedesco said, according to New York Times.
Shanta Myers (Troy Police Department)“For someone to do this to two children is horrific,” Mark McGrath, a city council member, told Fox News. “I can’t even explain how people feel up here. We’ve had homicides here in the past, as all communities do, but children — it really, really has affected this community.”
Members of the public can also submit anonymous tips to the #TroyNY Police by visiting https://t.co/zvc5QkMoNI or dialing 1-(833)-ALB-TIPS pic.twitter.com/Fop7k2jGNB
— Patrick Madden (@MayorMadden) December 27, 2017
The city’s mayor praised police and reached out on Twitter to comfort residents.
“Troy is a strong, resilient city that always comes together to support our neighbors & friends impacted by tragic incidents like this,” Madden wrote on Twitter. “The thoughts of our entire community remain with the victims’ families during this incredibly difficult time.”
From NTD.tv
