WEATHER ALERT
‘Destroyer of worlds:’ Jury finds Anthony Todt guilty of murdering wife, 3 children in Celebration
Read full article: ‘Destroyer of worlds:’ Jury finds Anthony Todt guilty of murdering wife, 3 children in CelebrationAnthony Todt, a physical therapist from Connecticut, was found guilty on Thursday of murdering his wife and three children in their Celebration home in January 2020.
Murder trial continues for man accused of killing family in Celebration
Read full article: Murder trial continues for man accused of killing family in CelebrationOpening statements from prosecutors and testimonies were delivered Monday in the trial of Anthony Todt, a physical therapist from Connecticut who is accused of killing his four children and his wife.
Jury selection underway in murder trial for man accused in Celebration slayings
Read full article: Jury selection underway in murder trial for man accused in Celebration slayingsThe murder trial for the man accused of killing his family and their dog inside their Celebration home will begin on Monday.
Judge grants motion partially excluding confession in Celebration family slayings
Read full article: Judge grants motion partially excluding confession in Celebration family slayingsA Florida judge granted a motion earlier this month to partially exclude the confession from a man accused of killing his wife and their three children in their Central Florida home in January 2020 ahead of his trial.
Confession in Celebration family slayings illegally obtained, lawyer says
Read full article: Confession in Celebration family slayings illegally obtained, lawyer saysThe defense attorneys for a Connecticut physical therapist accused of killing his wife and their three children at their home in central Florida want his initial confession excluded from his trial.
Murder trial date set for man accused of killing wife, children in Celebration
Read full article: Murder trial date set for man accused of killing wife, children in CelebrationCELEBRATION, Fla. – A man accused of killing his wife and three young children inside their Celebration home last year will stand trial in September. At a status hearing held Wednesday, a judge set Sept. 27 as the date for Anthony Todt’s murder trial. The hearing was the first since Todt found out he will no longer be facing the death penalty. Former State Attorney Aramis Ayala decided not to seek the death penalty because of concerns about Todt’s mental health. Todt is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of animal cruelty for the deaths of his wife, three children and dog.
Prosecutors will not seek death penalty against dad accused of killing family at home in Celebration
Read full article: Prosecutors will not seek death penalty against dad accused of killing family at home in CelebrationORLANDO, Fla. – Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala will not seek the death penalty against Anthony Todt, who stands accused of killing his wife and three children at a home in Celebration last year. Ayala, who has made headlines in the past due to her stance on the death penalty, filed a notice of intent to not seek the death penalty in the case of Todt and several other high-profile cases. News 6 has reached out to Ayala, who did not seek re-election, for comment but has not heard back. He made similar claims in the two phone calls to his sister in March and April, suggesting that Megan Todt had tried to kill the children before. Todt told his sister in a phone call from jail that he couldn’t have stopped his family from being slain — because he wasn’t around.
Dad accused of killing family at home in Celebration says he ‘wasn’t there’
Read full article: Dad accused of killing family at home in Celebration says he ‘wasn’t there’KISSIMMEE, Fla. – A Connecticut physical therapist charged with killing his wife and three children at their Florida home told his sister in a phone call from jail that he couldn’t have stopped his family from being slain — because he wasn’t around. Todt wrote that his wife then drank a bottle of Benadryl and stabbed herself in the abdomen. He made similar claims in the two phone calls to his sister in March and April, suggesting that Megan Todt had tried to kill the children before. Investigators with the Osceola County Sheriff's Office said Todt confessed at the time of his arrest to killing Megan, 42; their children, Alek, 13, Tyler, 11, and Zoe, 4; and the dog, Breezy. Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty for Todt, who has been indicted on four counts of first-degree murder.
Man charged with slaying family in Celebration says wife killed kids, self
Read full article: Man charged with slaying family in Celebration says wife killed kids, selfOSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A man charged with killing his family at their Florida home has claimed that his wife is the one who killed their three children and then herself. Prosecutors had copied the letter as evidence and released it to the newspaper in response to a public records request. He said he learned of the deaths after returning home from doing maintenance at a nearby condo they owned. Full Screen 1 / 18 Pictures of the Todt family are pinned to a board inside their condo. Defense attorneys have not spoken publicly about the claim that Todt’s wife was the real killer.
’I don’t remember anything:’ Celebration murder suspect talks about family in jailhouse call
Read full article: ’I don’t remember anything:’ Celebration murder suspect talks about family in jailhouse callHe mentions 42-year-old Megan Todt, 11-year-old Tyler Todt, 13-year-old Alek Todt and 4-year-old Zoe Todt but never explicitly talks about their deaths or the crime. I don’t remember anything pretty much over Christmas and the first week I got here,” Anthony Todt said. In the call, Anthony Todt speaks in vague terms when referencing the crime. Just know that I will protect Megan’s dignity until the very end,” Anthony Todt said. Anthony Todt is charged with four counts of first-degree murder.
Benadryl, ‘homicidal violence’ listed as cause of deaths for family found slain in Celebration home
Read full article: Benadryl, ‘homicidal violence’ listed as cause of deaths for family found slain in Celebration homeAnthony Todt is facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the deaths of his wife 42-year-old Megan Todt and their children, 11-year-old Tyler Todt, 13-year-old Alek Todt and 4-year-old Zoe Todt. [RELATED: Family members found dead in Celebration were stabbed, report says | Celebration murder suspect claimed dead wife was sleeping, deputies say]Up until now, officials have not provided a cause of death for the slain family members. Based on documents released Wednesday, it was ultimately “homicidal violence of unspecified means” and diphenhydramine toxicity, the drug commonly known as Benadryl, that claimed the lives of the Todt family. At the time of his arrest, records show Anthony Todt told authorities that he’d consumed an unknown amount of Benadryl in an attempt to end his life. According to the Osceola County sheriff, Anthony Todt admitted to killing his family in late December.
Man accused of killing family in Celebration home to face death penalty
Read full article: Man accused of killing family in Celebration home to face death penaltyOSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A man accused of killing his wife and three children at their Celebration home last year has been indicted on first-degree murder charges and will face the death penalty, according to Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala. [RELATED: Celebration murder suspect claimed dead wife was sleeping, deputies say | Here’s why the man accused of killing his family in Celebration is facing federal charges | Sheriff: Man killed wife, 3 kids in Celebration home]He was also indicted on an animal cruelty charge because the family’s dog, Breezy, was also found dead, according to authorities. Ayala added that the decision to seek death is separate from her beliefs and instead is a result of a decision reached by her office’s death penalty review board. “Despite my position on the death penalty, my death penalty review board they move forward, they charge on,” Ayala said. Officials have not said how the family was killed but a report from the Medical Examiner’s Office noted that Megan Todt and her two boys were stabbed although Zoe Todt was not.
Celebration murder suspect evicted from home where family was killed
Read full article: Celebration murder suspect evicted from home where family was killedOSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A man accused of killing his wife and three children has officially been evicted from the Celebration home where the slayings occurred, according to court documents. Records show the eviction notice was served to Anthony Todt at the Osceola County Jail, where he is being held on murder charges. [RELATED: Family members found dead in Celebration were stabbed, report says | Celebration murder suspect claimed dead wife was sleeping, deputies say]Osceola County deputies said Anthony Todt was under federal investigation and facing eviction late last year when he killed 42-year-old Megan Todt, 11-year-old Tyler Todt, 13-year-old Alek Todt, 4-year-old Zoe Todt and Breezy the dog at the home on Residence Place. The bodies were discovered Jan. 13 as authorities were serving a federal arrest warrant for Anthony Todt on insurance fraud charges. Officials have not released their causes of death but a recent report noted that Megan Todt and her sons were stabbed but Zoe Todt was not.
Suspect formally charged in deaths of wife, children at Celebration home
Read full article: Suspect formally charged in deaths of wife, children at Celebration homeOSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – The man accused of killing his wife and children at their Celebration home has been formally charged with their deaths, records show. [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. 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.
Celebration murder suspect claimed dead wife was sleeping, deputies say
Read full article: Celebration murder suspect claimed dead wife was sleeping, deputies sayOSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A man accused of killing his family in their Celebration home claimed his dead wife was sleeping when authorities arrived to take him into custody on federal charges, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. As deputies were investigating, they said they found the Todt family and their dog dead in a bedroom on the second floor. Anthony Todt was taken from the crime scene to a hospital where he stayed until he was booked into the Osceola County Jail. Deputies said they interviewed Anthony Todt about the deaths while he was in a hospital, but his statements were redacted from the report. Anthony Todt is facing four counts of first-degree murder and an animal cruelty charge.
Family members found dead in Celebration were stabbed, report says
Read full article: Family members found dead in Celebration were stabbed, report saysOSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A mother and two of her three children who were found dead in their Celebration home earlier this month had stab wounds on their bodies, according to the Medical Examiner’s report. The documents pertaining to the deaths of 42-year-old Megan Todt; 13-year-old Alek Todt; 11-year-old Tyler Todt; and 4-year-old Zoe Todt were released Thursday. Until now, Osceola County authorities refused to say what injuries the family suffered. Zoe Todt, however, had no obvious signs of injuries. Megan Todt was stabbed twice while her two boys were stabbed once, records show.
Video: Man accused of killing family in Celebration appears in court
Read full article: Video: Man accused of killing family in Celebration appears in courtOSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – The man accused of killing his wife, three children and dog at their Celebration home was caged during a court appearance Thursday afternoon in Osceola County. Anthony Todt was the last inmate to arrive in court and was immediately escorted to a metal cage in the back of the room, separate from the other defendants. The corrections staff requested that Anthony Todt be the first one to see the judge. Deputies said Anthony Todt is cooperating with the investigation but they have not said whether he’s provided an explanation for the crime or expressed remorse. Federal records show Anthony Todt, a Connecticut physical therapist, was under investigation for insurance fraud.
Sheriff: Man killed wife, 3 kids in Celebration home
Read full article: Sheriff: Man killed wife, 3 kids in Celebration homeCELEBRATION, Fla. – A man killed his wife, their three children and the family dog at their Celebration home in late December, according to the Osceola County sheriff. Anthony Todt was being investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services for a matter unrelated to the deaths. Sheriff Russ Gibson said Anthony Todt confessed to killing his family but at this point, authorities have not provided information on how they died. Anthony Todt. Gibson didn’t know why Anthony Todt allegedly killed his family, although the suspect is cooperating with the investigation.