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A Murder-Suicide in Frederick County, Maryland
Between 2008 and 2009, Maryland was beset by murder-suicides where the killer faced financial woes. One of these killers was Christopher Wood of Middletown, Maryland, in Frederick County. (I covered another one on Medium in When Murder Invades Your Hometown.)
An Unlikely Location for Murder
Although Middletown was founded in 1767, authorities were certain that these were the first homicides ever committed there. Other reports differ but say it was the first case of homicide in decades. (Sadly, it was not to be the last.) Like many historical towns in Maryland, Middletown offers a Main Street with shops, dining, historical sights, and entertainment. Families can enjoy annual events such as Annual Vintage Vehicles in the Valley; the Middletown Halloween Parade; and Christmas in the Valley.
In this setting, Wood worked for CSX Corporation, a large American company invested in rail transportation and real estate. His wife, Francie Billotti-Wood, was a stay-at-home mother who devoted a lot of her time to both her family and the Holy Family Catholic Church in Middletown. For example, she taught religion to second graders in the parish.
No one deserves to be murdered, especially not innocents. No matter where they live. Yet, rightly or wrongly, it often seems especially tragic when murder forces…
