Anthony Todt is facing multiple murder charges after allegedly confessing to killing his wife, three kids and dog sometime after Christmas

Dad Accused of Killing Family in Upscale Celebration Community May Have Lived with Bodies for Weeks

On Dec. 29, a sheriff’s deputy knocked on the door of a tidy storybook home in Celebration, Florida, in the shadow of the Walt Disney World resort, to check on the family inside.

A relative had called from out of state saying she’d been unable to reach the family of five: Anthony Todt, 44, his wife, Megan Todt, 42, and their children, Alek, 13, Tyler, 11 and 4-year-old Zoey.

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No one answered the door, but the deputy left when he found nothing suspicious.

Now authorities say Megan and the children may have been dead inside the pristine home when the deputy came to check on them.

“It’s not unreasonable to believe that the bodies were there, based on what we’ve seen in the home and based on his statements,” Osceola County Sheriff Russ Gibson said at a press conference Wednesday.

Still unable to reach anyone in the family, on Jan. 6, they were reported missing. Concerned loved ones created a Facebook group called “Looking for the Todt Family,” writing that they were “Worried sick!” and “Praying for their safe return.”

Image zoom Anthony Todt Osceola County Sheriff

Their worst fears were confirmed Monday, when sheriff’s deputies accompanied federal agents from the Department of Health and Human Services to serve a warrant on Anthony for an unrelated charge and discovered the bodies of the mother, children, and the family dog, Breezy, inside.

Anthony was taken into custody on Monday morning. On Wednesday, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office charged him with multiple counts of homicide and one count of felony animal cruelty.

“Three children and a mother have lost their lives at the hands of a supposed husband and a father, and their family dog,” Gibson said. “This is despicable.”

Pausing to hold back tears, he said, “We grieve along with the victims’ family and friends, along with the community for this tragic loss of innocent lives.”

He added, “I cannot understand what would cause a person to commit such evil and horrendous acts.”

Anthony and his family moved to Celebration from Colchester, Connecticut, though it’s unclear how long they’d lived in the Disney-developed dream town, which Disney no longer owns.

Authorities are investigating why Anthony allegedly murdered his entire family and are holding back on their cause of death until autopsy results are released.

But court records show that Anthony was deep in debt. Over the years, liens had been placed on a condo the family owned in Celebration, just blocks from their rental home at 202 Reserve Place. The estimated value of the condo, according to Zillow, is $209,000.

On Dec. 22, the landlord of the family’s condo at Reserve Place filed an eviction notice, serving the family on Dec. 26 — just one day after Christmas.

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A longtime physical therapist and owner of Family Physical Therapy in Colchester, Anthony was also being investigated by the federal government for alleged Medicaid and insurance fraud, WESH-TV reports.

“The Office of the (Connecticut) Attorney General can confirm we have an open False Claims Act investigation into Anthony Todt,” a spokeswoman told WESH. “Beyond that, we are unable to comment or provide further details.”

Todt also owed $99,000 to creditors in New York, USA Today reports.

Todt has not yet entered a plea. It is unclear if he has retained an attorney who can speak on his behalf.