A man has been arrested and charged in connection with a triple homicide after three relatives were found dead inside a home in Newton, Massachusetts, on Sunday morning, including a couple celebrating their golden wedding anniversary, officials said.
Newton resident Christopher Ferguson, 41, has been charged with one count of murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and burglary, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced Monday, noting additional charges are possible.
CNN has been unable to determine if Ferguson has an attorney.
Husband and wife Gilda and Bruno D'Amore, ages 73 and 74, and Gilda D'Amore's mother Lucia Arpino, 97, were found dead inside their home Sunday morning when someone came to check on them after they didn't arrive at church to celebrate the couple's 50th wedding anniversary, the district attorney said in a release.
Authorities arrived on the scene and saw that all three victims appeared to have suffered knife injuries and blunt force trauma, Ryan said in a Monday news conference.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Gilda D'Amore's cause of death to be multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma, the release said. The remaining two autopsies are expected to be conducted Tuesday.
The killings appear to be a random act at this time, the district attorney's office said.
Investigators were able to match a bare, bloody footprint from the scene of the crime to Ferguson's foot, Ryan said.
Video taken early Sunday morning also showed a shirtless and shoeless man walking with what appeared to be a staggering gait, Ryan added. Police later identified Ferguson from the video, Ryan said, adding the man is known to police.
After the victims were found dead Sunday, Newton Police Chief John Carmichael said there would be an increased police presence in the area as they searched for a suspect.
"As you can imagine, this would be tragic on any day. To have family gathered for this kind of a celebration makes it particularly tragic," Ryan said Sunday evening.
On Monday, Ryan called the crime a "great tragedy and loss" and thanked the community for speaking to investigators and sharing video.
"I believe our streets are safer tonight," Carmichael said.
Officials will host a community meeting Wednesday evening to discuss the incident, the response and "how we heal," Carmichael added.
Ferguson is expected to be arraigned in Newton District Court on Tuesday.
Newton is around 10 miles west of Boston.
