Paul Swarner, 35, his wife Karen (Powers) Swarner, 32, and their two children, Evelyn, 5, and Connor, 1, were discovered in the same room at their home on 140 Keck Lane in Hempfield Township late Thursday night, Jan. 23, Pennsylvania State Police said.
Karen’s father found the bodies after becoming concerned when he couldn’t reach her for over 24 hours. He called 911 at approximately 11:30 p.m., and responding officers recovered a Ruger .22 handgun, believed to be the weapon used in the tragedy, Trooper Steve Limani said.
Investigators determined Paul Swarner fatally shot his wife and children before killing himself.
Seton Hill University mourned the loss of Karen Swarner, a 2017 graduate of its Physician Assistant program, in a heartfelt statement:
"The Seton Hill University community was devastated to learn of the tragic deaths of 2017 Physician Assistant program alumna Karen (Powers) Swarner and her children, Evelyn and Connor. Karen is remembered by her Seton Hill faculty as an excellent student who exhibited a high level of professionalism in everything she did. She was a very kind and compassionate student and provider who was always pleasant to be around. We join together in prayer for Karen's family and friends as they navigate this terrible loss."
This marks the second murder-suicide in Westmoreland County since December 2024, authorities said, following a similar tragedy in Beaver County earlier this month.
Anyone experiencing domestic violence is urged to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. For mental health crises, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
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