Residents of Pitman, NJ were stunned to hear about the apparent murder-suicide of the Adolf family, ABC News reported.
Authorites found the bodies of Francis Adolf, 49, his wife, Bonnie, 44, and their 6-year-old son, Francis Jr. in their home on Tuesday. Officials mentioned Francis left a note behind, which said he wanted to harm himself and family members, and gave no further information.
John Klose, a neighbor of the Adolf family, said Francis Jr. was a friend of his grandson's and a "bright little boy" of a nice couple.
Authorities are still investigating the incident to determine the cause of the deaths, according to Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton. Dalton noted there was no reported history of domestic violence at the Adolf residence. Pitman mayor Russ Johnson, who lived close to the Adolf's, shared his sadness with the community.
"I picked up my 7-year-old and told him Frankie went to heaven," Johnson told The Courier-Post.
On the Borough of Pitman Facebook page, the mayor released a statement:
"Today is a sad and tragic day for our community. With the internet and social media, news and rumors move faster than we can imagine. Today's senseless developments leave us sad, confused and even angry. I ask that you join me in praying for all those affected by this terrible tragedy. We pray for the victims, their families, friends, neighbors and classmates. We also pray for the emergency responders who were on the scene of this tragedy. Pitman is a strong community and I am confident we will come together to get through these events. Let us remain focused on those who need our thoughts and prayers the most at this time."
Both Francis and Bonnie worked for Virtua Health, also released a statement:
"We are deeply saddened by this tragic news that has impacted co-workers and the entire Virtua organization. Our deepest sympathy and prayers go out to their family and friends during this very difficult time."
