OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – The man accused of killing his wife and children at their Celebration home has been formally charged with their deaths, records show.
Anthony Todt was initially arrested on first-degree murder charges when the bodies of 42-year-old Megan Todt, 11-year-old Tyler Todt, 13-year-old Alek Todt, 4-year-old Zoe Todt were found at the residence on Reserve Place on Jan. 13.
[RELATED: Family members found dead in Celebration were stabbed, report says | Celebration murder suspect claimed dead wife was sleeping, deputies say | Bodies in Celebration home were wrapped in blankets, records show]
Documents filed Wednesday show he’s been charged four counts of second-degree murder.
“Florida law requires all first-degree murder cases be charged by grand jury indictment. To ensure the defendant remains in custody until the grand jury is convened, the State Attorney filed an information charging him with second-degree murder,” an official from the state attorney’s office said.
Suspects generally face first-degree murder charges when prosecutors believe they planned the crime, while second-degree murders involve crimes that are not premeditated. People who are convicted of second-degree murder are not eligible for the death penalty.
According to reports from the Medical Examiner’s Office, all of the victims expect for Zoe Todt were stabbed. Their causes of death have not been released.
Osceola County deputies found the family dead in the master bedroom, wrapped in blankets, as they were serving a federal arrest warrant for Anthony Todt.
When deputies arrived at the home, Anthony Todt claimed that his wife was sleeping and his children were possibly at a sleepover, records show.
Authorities said the family was likely killed in late December, around the same time that relatives in Connecticut contacted authorities to request a well-being check because they were unable to contact the Todts.
Before his arrest, Anthony Todt was being investigating for alleging billing insurance companies for appointments at his physical therapy practice that never happened.
Anthony Todt has entered a plea of not guilty.