A man called the Teller County Sheriff’s Office at 9:28 p.m. Tuesday and said he had killed his wife and his son and he was going to commit suicide.
Eight minutes later, a deputy found the family dead in an older motor home at the Manitou Lake Recreation Park, 7 miles north of Woodland Park.
The names of the family members and the manner of their deaths were not released Wed nesday because next of kin had not been notified. Undersheriff Marcus Woodward said the boy was believed to be about 3 years old and the adults were in their mid-40s.
An autopsy on the three will be completed today.
The man and woman served as site managers for the Forest Service recreation area, which has no permanent camping but is a popular fishing, picnic and hiking area.
Forest Service officials in Pueblo could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Woodward said dispatchers tried to keep the man, who called from a cellphone, on the line.
“I did view the 911 tape, and it (the conversation) was very short. Our dispatch did an outstanding job trying to keep him on the line,” Woodward said. “We do everything we can to prompt conversation. We ask him, ‘Where are you? Why’d you do it? What’s going on? Talk to me. Stay on the line.”‘
The man then hung up.
“We know very little about him at this point,” Woodward said. “It is a true, true tragic situation because of the youth of the little guy. I’ve been doing this in Teller County for 19 years, and this type of scenario is pretty traumatic and devastating to several of our employees. I don’t care how calloused and how long you’ve been in this job, this kind of thing is very moving.”
Woodward said it is not unusual for a person to call authorities before committing suicide.
“Under this type of scenario, that’s kind of a common thing,” he said. “… They are wanting to reveal what’s happening so they’re not left alone for a lengthy amount of time.”
Staff writer Erin Emery can be reached at 719-522-1360 or eemery@denverpost.com.
