3 dead in murder-suicide over snow removal dispute

On the snowy morning of February 1, 2021, three bodies were found in Plains Township, Pennsylvania, in what officials ruled a murder-suicide. The deadly incident in the sleepy town came after a heated argument between neighbors and it had to do with shoveling snow.

Jeffrey Spaide fatally shot his neighbors, James Goy and his wife, Lisa Goy, before killing himself on Monday morning when officers were called to West Bergh Street in Plains Township, about 15 miles southwest of Scranton.

Police work the scene of a murder-suicide following a shoveling dispute that left three dead in Plains Township, Pa., on Feb. 1, 2021.

Shortly before 9 a.m. on Monday, officers responded to a report of shots fired when they found the bodies of the Goys on the street, prosecutors said. Law enforcement officials said they later heard a gun fire from Spaide’s house. It was later determined this to be his self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Surveillance video revealed that Spaide and the Goys were involved in disputes before the deadly encounter.

The video shows that the Goys shoveled snow from their parking spots, pushed it across the street and threw it onto Spaide’s property. After Spaide asked the couple to stop throwing snow onto his property, the neighbors got into an argument where they appear to have exchanged obscene gestures and expletives.

James Goy threatened Spaide and cocked his fist, prompting Spaide to retreat into his home and return outside with a pistol.

While the Goys acknowledged he had a gun, prosecutors said they continued to shout names at him from the middle of the street. Spaide opened fire and shot the Goys before returning to his home to get another gun to deal the killing blow.

After killing his neighbors, Spaide went back inside his home where he shot himself as police pulled up to the scene, prosecutors said.

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