Advertisement

18-Year-Old Charged In Deaths Of Mother, Sister, Friend

Police charged an 18-year-old man with the killings of his mother, older sister and their mother's boyfriend after discovering what was described as a gruesome scene at the victims' home.

Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey said Friday that police found the bodies, which he said showed evidence of massive trauma, after a neighbor reported suspicious activity at the house just after 8 p.m. Thursday.

Booking photo of Donald Rudolph provided by the Weymouth, Mass., Police Dept. (AP)
Booking photo of Donald Rudolph provided by the Weymouth, Mass., Police Dept. (AP)

He said police saw a man in the house, and arrested Donald Rudolph after he crawled out a basement window. The prosecutor said officers began searching the house after noticing "the state of his clothing," and hearing Rudolph's "alarming" statements.

"It was gruesome," Police Chief Richard Grimes said. He did not say how the victims died or if a weapon had been found.

Morrissey said officers first saw the body of 52-year-old Frederick Medina on the first floor of the home, then found the bodies of 50-year-old Paula Rudolph and her 24-year-old daughter Caylin in a detached garage.

He said the victims lived at the house, but Donald Rudolph was not currently living there.

Grimes said Rudolph was known to police in the town, about 15 miles south of Boston, but no one at the house had any current restraining orders against him.

Authorities said Paula Rudolph also had a younger daughter, Brittany Rudolph, who attends college out of state. Neighbors said Caylin Rudolph had twin daughters who live with their father.

Because Friday is a court holiday, Donald Rudolph is not expected to be arraigned until Monday. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer.

Some neighbors on Upland Road, a quiet side street where the family lived, said there had been signs the family had problems, but they expressed shock at the violent deaths.

"They had their own problems, like any family, but you never thought it would get to that," said Cease (pronounced KAY'-see) Deane, 18, who said he knew Donald growing up on the same street but would not describe him as a friend.

Deane said Donald Rudolph had a temper. "We would play basketball and he would just act out, like shoving people," he said.

Family members were often heard yelling at each other, Deane added.

Ronnie Lippett, a former defensive back for the New England Patriots, told The Boston Globe he came to know Rudolph through his work for a Lutheran social service agency. The teen had lived in Lippett's home for a time last year, but that ended in July when Rudolph lashed out violently at Lippett, breaking his jaw.

"He was just a disturbed kid who had a lot of issues," Lippett said.

Police would not comment on any past arrests or incidents involving the teen.

Pat Connor, who lives nearby, said Paula Rudolph worked at a Stop & Shop supermarket as a bundler and self-serve checkout assistant "to makes ends meet."

"She was good-hearted, but I think she had a rough life," Connor said. "I think she was a lonely person because when you would go into the store, she went over and hugged me. She just craved affection."

This article was originally published on November 11, 2011.

This program aired on November 11, 2011. The audio for this program is not available.

Advertisement

More from WBUR

Listen Live
Close