Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Bank worker shot dead wife in murder suicide in their new $600,000 dream home

Bank worker shot dead wife in murder suicide in their new $600,000 dream home

·        Julian Knott, 45, and Alita Knott, 47, were found deceased inside their home at 12 Log Road in the Lake Hopatcong section of Jefferson Township at around 1 a.m. Sunday
·        There was no evidence of outside intrusion into the home, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said
·        The couple's daughter, Kayleigh Knott, posted a photo of her parents on Instagram shortly after they were found saying 'heaven gained two angels'
·        No motive for the deaths has been released


The deaths of a husband and wife whose bodies were found in their New Jersey home Sunday morning have been ruled a murder-suicide police announced Tuesday, as the couple's daughter said she had 'inner peace' knowing her parents were now 'stress-free.'
The Morris County Prosecutor's Office and Jefferson Police said in a joint statement that a preliminary investigation shows both 45-year-old Julian Knott and 47-year-old Alita Knott - who moved to the U.S. from Britain - died of gunshot wounds.
No other information about the deaths, including any motive, has been released.
But the couple's daughter, Kayleigh Knott, posted a photo of her parents on her Instagram account shortly after they were discovered.
Murder suicide: A preliminary investigation shows both 45-year-old Julian Knott and 47-year-old Alita Knott - who moved to the U.S. from Britain - died of gunshot wounds. The couple are pictured in happier times
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Murder suicide: A preliminary investigation shows both 45-year-old Julian Knott and 47-year-old Alita Knott - who moved to the U.S. from Britain - died of gunshot wounds. The couple are pictured in happier times
The Arizona State University student, who was presumably away at school when the shocking murder suicide took place, wrote: 'On July 5th, 2014, heaven gained two very special angels... My mother and my father. 

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'Although I am heartbroken that they will never see me graduate college, will never be there to see me get married or to be grandparents for my children, I can still have my inner peace knowing that they are now stress free in a much better place.'
She said she trusted that it was all part of a bigger plan. 
Referring to her two teenage brothers, she wrote: 'Now it's just me, my brothers, and betsy, and we will be just fine with our angels watching over us... Life is so incredibly beautiful and I can't wait to see what the world has in store for me. Rest in Peace mummy and daddy, stay close.'
Inner peace: The couple's daughter, Kayleigh Knott, pictured left and right, posted a photo of her parents on her Instagram account shortly after they were discovered
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Inner peace: The couple's daughter, Kayleigh Knott, pictured left and right, posted a photo of her parents on her Instagram account shortly after they were discovered
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Inner peace: The couple's daughter, Kayleigh Knott, pictured left and right, posted a photo of her parents on her Instagram account shortly after they were discovered
According to Julian Knott's LinkedIn profile, he worked for JPMorgan Chase for several years, most recently as the executive director of its Global Network Operations Center in Whippany. 
The family moved from Shoreham in England to Dublin, Ohio, for Mr Knott's job and the moved to New Jersey only recently.
Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said Sunday that Jefferson Township Police were called to the home at 12 Log Road in Lake Hopatcong at around 1 a.m. that day on a report of two unconscious adults.
The husband and wife were discovered by officers deceased inside the property.
There was no evidence of outside intrusion into the home, Knapp said, and 'no cause for concern to the community.'
Dead: Husband and wife, Julian Knott, 45, and Alita Knott, 47, pictured, were found dead in their New Jersey home
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Dead: Husband and wife, Julian Knott, 45, and Alita Knott, 47, pictured, were found dead in their New Jersey home
The Star Ledger identified Alita Knott as a sales associate at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in the Chester/Hackettstown Office.

Spokeswoman Aglaia Pikounis told the newspaper: 'We are terribly saddened by the news.' She refused to comment further citing the ongoing investigation into the deaths.
Mrs Knott's agent profile on the real estate website says she was born in the Philippines and worked as a teacher there for a few years. 
She then moved to Bahrain and was able to travel extensively with her job.
'After meeting my husband while working in London, I married, had three children and started my own pre-school nursery business, which I still own,' she writes.
Mystery: It's not clear how the couple, pictured, died or whether it is being investigated as a murder suicide. No cause of death for the couple has been released
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Mystery: It's not clear how the couple, pictured, died or whether it is being investigated as a murder suicide. No cause of death for the couple has been released
Scene: Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said Jefferson Township Police were called to the home, pictured, at 12 Log Road in Lake Hopatcong at around 1 a.m. Sunday morning on a report of two unconscious adults
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Scene: Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said Jefferson Township Police were called to the home, pictured, at 12 Log Road in Lake Hopatcong at around 1 a.m. Sunday morning on a report of two unconscious adults
Her profile said her husband's work took them to Dublin, Ohio, and then more recently to New Jersey.
The nursery, Quay Side Tots, acknowledged the deaths with a note on its website and said the facility would be closed until further notice.
The note reads: 'Unfortunately we have received the news today (7th July) that the owner of Quayside Tots Playgroup, Alita, and her husband have passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends. For legal reasons the playgroup will now not reopen until further notice.'
Neighbor Agnes Mysliwiec, 44, told the Star Ledger late on Sunday that she didn't know the couple personally, but they had moved to the street recently.
The family home was purchased in May for $600,000.
The two story, 4,250sqft home has 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. 
Authorities did not reveal who first discovered the bodies and called police.
The couple have three children, though it's not known if any were home at the time of the deaths. 
No further information is being released to the public at this time, Knapp said.

The Morris County Sheriff's Office CIS and Major Crime's Unit assisted at the scene.

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