'Extermination': Man, 23, 'stabs to death his twin brother, mother and father with 18-inch sword'



A 23-year-old 'loner and introvert' allegedly stabbed to death his twin brother, mother and father in the kitchen of their middle-class suburban home near Philadelphia.

Joseph McAndrew Jr was found in the driveway of the house with his shoes and trousers 'covered in blood', according to an arrest affidavit.

According to the district attorney, his family had 'fought for their lives'. She described his twin brother as McAndrew's 'greatest supporter and advocate.'



James McAndrew, left, was found stabbed to death along with his mother and father in Philadelphia. His twin brother Joseph, right, has been arrested

When police arrived and asked him what happened, he told them 'extermination', Action News reports.

When asked who had done it he said 'attacker', and said the victims were 'person named brother, person named mother, and person named father'.

Police found the bodies of Joseph's twin brother James, 23, his father Joseph McAndrew Sr, 70, and his mother Susan, 64, covered in blood in the kitchen of their home on Saturday night.

In a press conference today, District Attorney Risa Ferman said there was blood throughout the house. She said: 'It's fair to say that the scene inside the home reflected a significant struggle with the victims fighting their attacker.'

Killed: Susan McAndrew, 64, was found dead alongside her husband in the kitchen of their Philadelphia home

When asked whether James had tried to intervene, Ms Ferman said: 'It's clear from the number of wounds and the number of defensive wounds, that there was a struggle between the two.'

Both James - who the district attorney described as a 'shining star' - and his mother had sustained defensive wounds, and McAndrew Jr had cuts and scrapes on his right hand and forearms, the Philadelphia Daily News reports.

The order they died in is not yet clear. The Daily News reports James was wounded in the chest, back, scalp, hands and his left side.



Mr McAndrew Sr suffered injuries in the neck, arm and chest, but no defensive wounds. His wife sustained defensive wounds in her left hand, wrist and arm, and wounds in her left shoulder, arm and breast.



Ms Ferman said the murder weapon was an 18-inch dagger-type sword, which was found in the living room of the house in King of Prussia, a well-to-do Philadelphia suburb.

She said there was no obvious motive in the case, but said McAndrew Jr had a history of mental health issues and 'some aspect of mental illness' was involved.



She said: 'There is really nothing at this point that can tell us why these events transpired, what happened to provoke them, and really what went on inside of his head at the time.'



The district attorney said James had been a 'great supporter' of his brother over the years, Action News reports.

Graduate: According to a neighbour James, 23, had just moved home to look for work after finishing a degree at Penn State University

She said both brothers were brilliant, but McAndrew had struggled since high school and was a loner and introvert who spent much of his time alone in his room.

James, she said, did well at school and was job hunting, the Daily News reports.



McAndrew was charged on Sunday with three counts of first-degree murder. He did not speak at his arraignment and is being held without bail.

Police say Craig Noce who lived in the family's garage apartment, made the emergency call after he heard Mrs McAndrew screaming for him to call 911. He said he heard a commotion, then it fell 'eerily quiet'.



One neighbour told Action News police used only two words about the murder - violent and gruesome. The family 'fought for their lives', it reported.

Neighbours paid tribute to the family. One said they were 'wonderful, wonderful people'.



They told the Philadelphia News Mr McAndrew Sr was a retired teacher and his wife used to work for the Yellow Pages but lately had volunteered as a poll worker.

Doris Ridings, who told the Daily News she had known the McAndrews for almost 35 years, said she used to babysit both boys when they were younger.

Bloody scene: The middle-class suburban home near Philadelphia where the McAndrew family were found killed on Saturday night

She referred affectionately to James, who had moved back home to look for work, as Jamie, but said she saw little of his brother.

She said: 'I don't know too much about Joe because he keep to himself and he never went out, he stayed in his room.'

Another neighbour, Jenna Lauman, said she thought the McAndrews only had one son. She told the Daily News Mr McAndrew Sr seemed 'full of life'.

Mrs Ridings paid tribute to Mrs McAndrew in particular, who she said helped her through her divorce.



She told the Philadelphia Daily News: 'She was so funny. She had a sense of humour that was unreal. She was a simple, unique person, a hard worker and a good friend.'

She said: 'They were the most wonderful people I ever met in my life. I want to die myself.'

Mrs Ridings said Mrs McAndrew was the first person she thought to call when her dog died. She said as they buried the dog, James consoled her with a hug.

She told the Daily News: 'He said, "I'm so sorry." He said the dog was with us, watching us dig the hole. Jamie was so sweet.'



