VIENNA, Va. - Detectives from the Fairfax County (web | news) Police Department believe 81-year-old Vienna resident Thomas Appleberry Sr. killed his wife, 81-year-old Rachel Appleberry and their son, 53-year-old Thomas Appleberry Jr., before turning the gun on himself.

Tuesday morning, the three bodies were discovered by the Appleberry's adult daughter inside the family's home near the Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts.

"Oh my God, I couldn't imagine walking in and finding my family dead," said Sheryl Louck, a family friend. "It would be the worst thing."

Appleberry Jr. and his parents are believed to have lived in the Vienna home together. Appleberry Sr. had been retired from the CIA for decades. "There were guns in the house," noted Louck. "He was a gun advocate."

Vienna residents said they remember the Appleberry family as good neighbors. Appleberry Sr. was known for taking long walks with his dog.

"[They were] very peaceful people," noted Teresa Meredith, a neighbor. "I would never had known anything was wrong in the home."

Police are now conducting a massive investigation to find out why Appleberry Sr. would kill his wife and son before taking his own life.

"Certainly, the police will look into whether it was a medical situation or some type of mental situation as one of the factors here," said Fairfax County Spokesperson Lucy Caldwell.

The shooting is believed to have occurred Tuesday morning. Fairfax County police responded to a call about a dead person in a home in the 9622 block of Cinnamon Creek Drive at about 9:20 a.m. Inside the home, police found the three deceased adults. All had sustained gunshot wounds to the upper body. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477 or Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131. 

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