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The Rensselaer County incident happened in the town of Grafton, at a residence on County Route 85, at around 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, June 18.
Whitney Fowler, 27, called 911 reporting an altercation with her husband Joshua Fowler, 26, and requested police come to the property, according to New York State Police. While she was on the phone, the 911 dispatcher heard gunshots and the call disconnected.
Troopers arrived at the home roughly 10 minutes later and encountered Mr. Fowler outside the residence holding a long gun, police said. Fowler reportedly ignored repeated commands to drop the weapon, and troopers eventually used a TASER device to subdue and arrest him.
Investigators believe Joshua Fowler was hoping that troopers would shoot and kill him, according to police.
Troopers then searched the property, where they found Whitney Fowler dead outside the home, police said. Two others, 55-year-old Wilson Fowler and 69-year-old Anita Krandle, were found dead inside the home. All three had been shot to death, according to police.
Wilson Fowler is Joshua’s father, and Anita Crandall is his step-grandmother, police clarified. The weapon used in the killings was legally purchased by Wilson Fowler.
Joshua Fowler was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder, and criminal possession of a weapon. He was arraigned at Brunswick Town Court and remanded to the Rensselaer County jail without bail.
New York State Police did not speculate on a motive for the killings, but noted that police had responded to the property on at least two other occasions for domestic violence calls. No arrests were made in those incidents.
Additional details about the victims’ lives were not immediately available. Loved ones are invited to share a statement, funeral details, and/or photos by emailing mmashburn@dailyvoice.com.
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