Police: Chester County family of 4 dies in apparent murder-suicide

WEST WHITELAND TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Authorities in Chester County are investigating an apparent murder-suicide after four family members were found dead inside a home in West Whiteland Township on Sunday. 

Police responded to a home on the 100 block of Mountainview Road around noon after an out-of-state relative was unable to get in contact with the family for several days.

Officers entered the home and went into the basement where they found the bodies of a 50-year-old man, his 47-year-old wife, and their two sons, ages 8 and 15. Investigators say they are believed to have died sometime in the last three days.

The Chester County coroner’s office identified them as Deepak Prabakhar Kulkarni, 50, Arti Madhusudan Ayda, 47, Shubham Deepak Kulkarni, 15, and Sharvil Deepak Kulkarni, 8, all of West Whiteland Township.

All four sustained gunshot wounds, but a final determination of the cause and manner of death are pending autopsies and further investigation, the coroner’s office said.

"The initial investigation and evidence at the scene indicate that this incident is the result of a murder-suicide and that there is no threat to the community at large," police said in a release.  "This incident is currently being actively investigated and no further details will be released at this time." 

The names of the deceased were not released.

"This is a tragedy beyond comprehension because two children and both their parents are dead. These were members of our community. We will do everything in our power to learn why this horrific incident happened and urge anyone who needs support to contact the National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255. My sympathy goes out to the family for their unimaginable loss," said Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan. 

The West Whiteland Township Police Department and the Chester County District Attorney’s Office are handling the ongoing investigation. 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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