FAMILY SHOOTING LEAVES 3 DEAD
D.A.: 78-year-old shoots son, daughter-in-law, then himself 10 have died in Montco domestic violence in pandemic
NEW HANOVER » During the latest incident of domestic violence in Montgomery County, a New Hanover man fatally shot his son and daughter-in-law before turning the gun on himself to die by suicide, according to authorities.
District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and New Hanover Police Chief Kevin McKeon said an investigation determined Stephen J. Mihalcik, 56, and his wife, Rebecca Hall Evans, 51, were shot and killed by Stephen’s father, Gerald E. Mihalcik, 78, who then died
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, during a news briefing last month, expressed concerns about a spate of domestic violence-related homicides that have occurred since the coronavirus pandemic began in March.
of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the home they shared in the 2900 block of Reifsnyder Road on Monday evening, Sept. 14.
Two children also lived at the residence and were unharmed.
“This is such a tragedy and my heart goes out to the surviving family members,” Steele said on Tuesday. “We are seeing more domestic violence homicides in Montgomery County this year than ever before. If you are living in a violent situation at home, please call for help. Police are ready to respond through 911.”
The investigation began about 8:07 p.m. on Monday when township police responded to the residence for a reported shooting.
Arriving officers found Evans and Gerald Mihalcik dead at the scene. Stephen Mihalcik was found injured but alive and he was transported to Reading Hospital Trauma Center in West Reading, where he later died during treatment, according to Steele.
Autopsies on the bodies were conducted on Tuesday in Montgomery and Berks counties.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office determined Evans died of a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was ruled to be homicide. The coroner determined Gerald Mihalcik’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was listed as suicide.
An autopsy on Stephen Mihalcik was conducted by the Berks County Coroner’s Office, which found that the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the head and the manner of death was homicide.
Steele, during a news briefing last month, expressed concerns about a spate of domestic violencerelated homicides that have occurred since the coronavirus pandemic began in March.
The New Hanover tragedy was the sixth fatal domestic-related incident in the county since April 8. A total of 10 people died during the six incidents, their deaths being ruled either homicides or suicides. In addition to New Hanover, the incidents occurred in
Abington, Pottstown and Cheltenham.
Steele urged county residents who may be living in a violent situation at home to seek help.
The Women’s Center of Montgomery County, a nonprofit, volunteer organization focused on eliminating domestic violence, provides support to victims and provides a 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 1-800-7732424.
Laurel House, a nonprofit organization that provides crisis intervention, a safe haven, supportive programs and resources for victims of domestic abuse, also provides a confidential, 24hour hotline at 1-800-6423150.
The help lines are answered by trained volunteers who offer advice on services available, provide safety planning and obtain immediate safe shelter for victims and children. Both agencies provide assistance with writing and obtaining protection from abuse petitions through the courts, offer safety advice to victims, and assistance in obtaining safe housing.
More information can be found at laurel-house. org and www.wcmontco.org
Steele has said living in this unprecedented pandemic is a stressful time, with adults and children staying at home together, confined to close quarters while at the same time being upended from routines, friends, jobs and other constants in their lives.
“These are not random acts of violence or murders that are being fueled by drug trafficking or some other crime. These are murders that are relationship violence or domestic violence in nature. The fact that all of our homicides since this pandemic has begun have been domestic violence or relationship violence is a disturbing trend,” Steele said during the news briefing last month.