- Source: Steven Pladl triple murder and suicide
On April 12, 2018, Steven Walter Pladl, a 43-year-old man from Knightdale, North Carolina, murdered his biological daughter, 20-year-old Katie Rose Fusco Pladl, with whom he had been engaged in an incestuous relationship. He also killed her adoptive father, 56-year-old Anthony Charles Fusco, in New Milford, Connecticut. He later committed suicide in Dover, New York. The day prior his committed murder in Knightdale, he had murdered his and Katie's seven-month-old child, Bennett Kieron Pladl by smothering him.
Background
In 1995, then-20-year-old Steven Pladl met and groomed then-15-year-old Alyssa over the internet. He traveled to San Antonio, Texas, to begin a sexual relationship with her, and Alyssa ran away with Steven to live with him in New York. Alyssa became pregnant at 16 and gave birth to their first child at 17, whom they named Denise Pladl. According to Alyssa, Steven abused Denise by pinching her until she was "black and blue" and stuffing her in a cooler to the point of near-suffocation. Alyssa decided to put Denise up for adoption, because she believed Denise would not have a chance at life while living with Steven.
Adoption and reuniting with biological parents
Anthony and Kelly Fusco adopted Denise and renamed her Katie Rose Fusco. In August 2016, when Katie was 18, she reached out to her biological parents, Steven and Alyssa Pladl on Facebook, and they met in Knightdale, North Carolina. Katie decided to move in with her biological parents—Steven and Alyssa, together with their other two children, a decision that her adoptive parents were apprehensive about but supported. By the time Katie moved in, Steven and Alyssa had made the decision to separate and were sleeping in separate bedrooms. Over the following months, Steven and Katie became incredibly close, and when confronted by Alyssa, Steven told her it was not her business and stormed out of the house with Katie. Alyssa moved out in November 2016 and she and Steven shared custody of the other two children.
Incest and criminal charges
In May 2017, Alyssa read in one of their children's journals that Steven and Katie were sexually involved, that Katie was pregnant, and that the two children had been told that Katie was their stepmother. Alyssa called Steven, who confirmed the relationship and that Katie was pregnant. Alyssa then reported this to the police.
On July 20, 2017, Steven and Katie got married in Parkton, Maryland, lying on their marriage documents that they were not related. The wedding was attended by Steven's mother and Katie's adoptive parents. Katie gave birth to their baby, Bennett Kieron Pladl, in September 2017. To Katie, this was her son. To Steven, this was both his son and grandson. In January 2018, Katie and Steven were arrested for incest charges. Steven's attorney maintained that his client's relationship with Katie was consensual and asserted that Steven had been "head over heels in love" with his daughter and that this had "outweighed the issue of them being biologically related", citing Steven's marital troubles as a factor. Following the killings, the attorney stated that "nobody ever could have predicted" Steven's actions, and that during their meetings, he showed "no indication" of possibly turning to violence. The judge ordered that Steven and Katie do not contact each other, while the custody over Bennett would be handed over to Steven's mother.
Following their release on bond, Katie moved back with her adoptive parents and informed Steven over the phone that she did not want to continue their relationship, leaving Steven enraged.
Murders and suicide
On April 11, 2018, Steven murdered his seven-month-old child Bennett at his home. Bennett is believed to have died by suffocation.
The next day, Katie and Anthony Fusco traveled from Dover, New York, to Waterbury, Connecticut, to visit Katie's adoptive grandmother to clean her house. Knowing this was a routine for her, Steven traveled to Dover and followed Katie and Anthony's car, and murdered them with his Aero assault-type rifle on their route in New Milford, Connecticut, once they were stopped at a stop sign at the intersection of Route 7 and Route 55. Bystanders reported shots being fired in New Milford, and police discovered Katie and Anthony's bodies in their car.
He then called his mother and told her that he had murdered Katie, Anthony, and Bennett. He stated that she shouldn't go into the house and encouraged her to call the police. He explained that a key was left under the mat for easier entry. He later committed suicide via a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Dover. His mother called police, who found Bennett dead in Steven's home.
Burial
The three victims were buried in Saint Charles Cemetery, Dover Plains, New York.
Adaptation
In 2024, Lifetime did a television film adaption of this story titled Husband, Father, Killer: The Alyssa Pladl Story as part of its "Ripped from the Headlines" feature films starring Jackie Cruz as Alyssa Pladl, Matthew MacCaull as Steven Pladl, and Matreya Scarrwener as Katie Rose Pladl.
