Mass. man on the run after allegedly fatally shooting his wife in the face

GARDNER, Mass. (TCD) -- Investigators are searching for a 33-year-old man they allege shot and killed his wife in their home over the weekend because she reportedly wanted to move away with their four children.

On Sunday, Oct. 22, at approximately 9:15 a.m., Gardner Police responded to a disturbance call at 42 Cherry St. and found 30-year-old Breanne Pennington deceased inside. Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early identified the suspect as Aaron Pennington and said he was last known to be driving a white 2013 BMW 320. Early said Pennington is considered armed and dangerous.

Gardner Police went to the home after the couple’s four children went to a neighbor’s house for help. The children, who are reportedly 2, 5, 7, and 9 years old, are in DCF custody.

On Tuesday, Oct. 24, Early announced a hunter found Pennington’s BMW in the woods and said investigators are treating the situation "like he is alive and would be somewhere in the woods." Officials searched the surrounding area for Pennington but did not locate him.

Early said he might have come to the woods "sometime Sunday."

According to court documents cited by the Gardner News, Breanne and Aaron Pennington had issues in their marriage "for quite some time," and she reportedly wanted to relocate to Texas. The affidavit says Aaron Pennington deals with "mental issues and had threatened suicide" in the past.

Mass Live, which also cites court records, reports the four Pennington children ran to their neighbor’s house Sunday morning and were "scared because they could not find their father and their mother was in her bedroom crying."

When police went inside the home, they found Breanne Pennington in her bed with "obvious signs of death from an apparent gunshot wound to the face."

Pennington reportedly works for defense contractor Raytheon as a senior supervisor for manufacturing and operations. Pennington is a U.S. Air Force veteran.

MORE:

• Gardner Update - Worcester County District Attorney's Office
• Update on Gardner Search - Worcester County District Attorney's Office
• Police Seeking Man in Connection with Gardner Death - Worcester County District Attorney's Office
• Search for Gardner Homicide Suspect Continuing - Massachusetts State Police
• 'Believe he is alive': Hunters asked to check trail cameras for Gardner murder suspect - The Gardner News
• Breanne Pennington wanted to take children to Texas before death, court docs say - Mass Live