[Free Vulcan]

Wanted to get this posted Friday but didn't have the time.

I spoke with a friend who is a substitute teacher at Harmony and knew all four kids and their parents as well as having been to their house. She is at a loss to explain how Shawn could have done what he did.

Links:

pic of the family

Two good articles about them:

'Once you met them, you loved them'

Fun-loving Bentlers touched friends with warmth, humor

[livius]

Awful story. It sounds like the son went bad; the article mentions that he had two children (but no mention of a wife) and was arrested for possession of drug paraphrenalia, so I'd imagine he had probably been a family problem for awhile. Very tragic, and I always really feel for families that have a problem like this with one member. They sounded like lovely people, I will pray for them and their community when I go to Mass today.

[DB]

'Shayne Bentler told a dispatcher her brother was "going to do something." Next came the sound of a gunshot and someone yelling, "Shawn, no!"'

His guilt is pretty conclusive.

The death penalty is appropriate in this case.

[Iowa Granny]

What a horrible thing your community has witnessed.

Thanks for posting this so the rest of the world will know what we've been watching unfold this past week.

[Sisku Hanne]

This is horrific! As we continue to heal from the tragic murder of little Amish girls here in Lancaster County, we will also keep this devastated family and community in our thoughts and prayers.

[Tijeras_Slim]

What a shame.