Surviving father of family murdered by 17-year-old son says there were 'no red flags'
A father in Virginia whose wife and 6-year-old son were killed by his 17-year old son has broken his silence.
Joshua Norwood returned to his home from work on Valentine’s Day and, moments after opening his front door, his son, Levi, appeared and shot him.
“I was sniped,” Norwood said according to WUSA9 news.
Levi fled the scene after realizing he had failed to kill his father.
Mr Norwood scrambled through the house, blood pouring from the gunshot wound he’d taken to the head, and eventually found his wife, Jennifer and 6-year-old son, Wyatt, shot to death.
In a comment section on Fauquier Now, a local news site, someone claiming to be Mr Norwood gave details of the tragedy.
“There was lots of blood. I opened my door and before my work bag hit the floor I was shot in the head. Not realizing what happened until I saw blood pouring out I then search for my family and found Jen and Wyatt dead,” Mr Norwood posted.
Meanwhile, Levi was fleeing through the woods, traveling 10 miles before stealing a car and continuing his escape.
Levi was eventually caught 22 hours later and nearly 250 miles away when he attempted to shoplift hair dye, clothes and a backpack from a Super Target in Durham, North Carolina on Saturday. Levi’s hair was dyed purple, an identifier that led Durham police to recognize him as the suspect from the shooting in Fauquier.
Prior to his arrest, hundreds of law enforcement officers, helicopters, drones and dogs were hunting Levi.
Levi is facing two counts of murder. It remains to be determined whether Levi will be tried as an adult or a child, according to Commonwealth Attorney Scott Hook.
Mr Norwood said he has gone back and forth between loving his son and hating him, at times calling him “the murderer that was once known as my son” and “the evil murderer that took [his wife and child] away” in his apparent online posting.
Responding to questions in the Fauquier Now comment section, Mr Norwood said there were no warning signs of his son’s impending violence.
"He was not known as a trouble maker and no red flags for us as parents to know otherwise this could have been prevented," he said. “If there had been signs, Jen and Wyatt would still be alive,”
Levi will face a judge in Virginia before the end of the week.
