Did mental illness drive father to kill?
Those close to the investigation of a man who killed his two teenage children before turning the gun on himself last week said the killer
may have been suffering from bipolar disorder.
Friends said he was having trouble getting his medication “straightened out” in the months leading up to the shooting.
Former United Airlines captain, Little League Coach and author Philip Marshall, 54, killed his son Alex, 17, and daughter Macaila, 14, each with a single bullet to the head as they lay on a living room couch at his home in Forest Meadows, according to investigators with the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office. He then killed a dog belonging to his estranged wife Sean and turned the gun on himself. Sean was traveling in Turkey on business when the shootings took place...
...It seems everyone is asking the same question since the Marshall family was found dead Saturday – why?
“It’s just shocking,” said Jeff Woods, who lived across the street from Marshall in Forest Meadows. “It’s hard to believe he killed his kids. I could almost understand someone taking their life, but to take your kids’ lives? You just wonder what’s going on.”
One possible explanation is mental illness in the form of bipolar disorder, which causes unusual shifts in mood, energy and activity levels, according to the National Institute of Mental Health website. These mood changes are different from normal ups and downs that everyone has experienced.
“Bipolar disorder symptoms can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance and even suicide,” the NIMH website read.
While most people develop symptoms before age 25, others may develop symptoms later in life. The disorder can be treated with medication, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives, the website states.
If not properly treated, those suffering from bipolar disorder may experience symptoms of mania. Life events can exacerbate these symptoms.
“He was not a happy guy a lot of the time,” a close friend of Marshall said. “He had longstanding troubles with his wife. But he was a dedicated father, great baseball coach and
his temperament doesn’t fit this scenario at all.”
For the most part, Marshall wasn’t that interesting, his friend said, and was even socially awkward at times.
“He was more sort of a dull, everyday guy who only came to life on a few subjects like baseball, football and his books,” he said.
Several books, two of which focused on a different explanation for the 911 attacks, were authored by Marshall.
After performing autopsies on the Marshalls Tuesday, Calaveras County Coroner Kevin Raggio determined they were all killed by gunshot wounds to the head.
...As is standard procedure in cases like these, Raggio is having a toxicology report performed on the blood of Marshall and his two children. These tests will determine if there were any drugs present in the blood stream.
Reports from the Sheriff’s Office indicate the children were sleeping when shot, however Raggio said they were lying six feet away from each other on separate parts of a large U-shaped sectional in the living room.
Hewitt said he couldn’t comment on this, adding, “It’s part of an active investigation.”
When asked whether it was possible that Alex and Macaila were drugged, Raggio said he wouldn’t speculate at this time.
“That’s a good question,” he said. “We will be checking tox on everybody. It did appear as though they were sleeping.”
Hewitt said the toxicology report and pathologist’s report will hopefully be completed within two-to-three weeks.
Despite Marshall’s
apparent mental illness, he was able to purchase at least one firearm, the Glock he used to kill his children, however he was unable to get through another screening process that is more local in nature.
In October of last year, Marshall attended an orientation for the Calaveras Youth Mentoring Program. Colleen Dolan, youth mentoring coordinator, said he submitted an application to be a mentor. However, before the extensive screening process began, Marshall withdrew his application, Dolan said.
“Often, simply the thoroughness of the process is off-putting,” Dolan said, adding some people walk away if they don’t think they will pass.
Dolan said the screening process is very thorough, so parents and educators can trust the program and the safety of children participating.
“The interaction between Marshall and the mentoring program was minimal,” Dolan said. “We didn’t even begin the screening process.”
Contact Joel Metzger at
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