Fred Harteis News Articles - Police: School killer told wife he molested family members

Fred Harteis News Articles - Pennsylvania schoolhouse killer Charles Carl Roberts IV told his wife he molested young relatives 20 years ago and was dreaming about molesting children again, police said Tuesday.

Investigators talked to relatives and analyzed suicide notes as they tried to determine what made Roberts barricade himself inside the tiny Amish school, tying up girls and shooting them -- five fatally -- before killing himself Monday.

Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Jeffrey Miller said Roberts may have targeted the school for its girl students and -- given various items found in the school -- intended to molest the children. Roberts brought KY Jelly lubricant to the schoolhouse where the assault occurred, but there is no evidence that the victims were sexually assaulted in any way, Miller said.

"It's very possible that he intended to victimize these children in many ways prior to executing them and killing himself," Miller said.

Police found a checklist in Roberts' truck that "matches the evidence found and recovered in the school," Miller said.

The list included tape, eyebolts, a hose, bullets, guns, binoculars, earplugs, flashlights, wood and candles; many of the items were checked off.

A 2-by-4 board of wood found in the school had 10 large eyebolts that were spaced about 10 inches apart, Miller said.

"It's important to note that we had 10 victims at that time that were in the school," he said.

Roberts "became disorganized" when police arrived at the schoolhouse and "shot himself in the head as [police] were coming in through the window," Miller said.

Roberts also wrote in suicide notes that he was mad at God for how his baby, Elise, died just 20 minutes after being born prematurely nine years ago, Miller said.

Many of the details police revealed Tuesday came from interviews with Roberts' wife, Marie Roberts. She told investigators that she spoke with her husband by cell phone Monday and he said, "'I am not coming home. The police are here,'" Miller said.

In a note left for his wife, Roberts mentioned an incident 20 years ago, but it wasn't until he spoke on the phone with her that he revealed he had molested two female relatives who were between the ages of 3 and 5 at the time, Miller said.

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Source: Cnn.com

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