Incestuous Man Fathered Child With Daughter, Allegedly Killed Her, Their Son, Himself

A North Carolina man, who was charged earlier this year for impregnating his biological daughter, allegedly killed her, her adoptive father and their infant son before fatally shooting himself. The bodies of the victims were found in different locations Thursday.

Steven Pladl, 45, was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his car about seven miles away from Dover, New York, while the body of the 7-month-old baby was found at a home on Earlston Court. Police in Connecticut found two people fatally shot inside a pickup truck in New Milford.

Steven had the baby, named Bennett Pladl, with his 20-year-old daughter Katie Pladl.

Police arrived at the home where the baby was found after receiving a request for a welfare check up by Steven's mother who said she had a disturbing conversation with her son, Knightdale Police Chief Lawrence Capps said.

"It is Steven's mother who called us this morning to make the request to make the welfare check at that location," Capps said. "As our officers arrived on scene we found the infant inside. There was no one else inside the residence. There is a connection between the events in Knightdale today and the crimes that are being investigated by the New Milford, Connecticut, police department and the New York state police department.

"Obviously we're very saddened by today's events," Capps added. "Events like this are not common in our community. Unfortunately, they're not uncommon in society. Like you, we're trying to make sense of all the factors that led up to this senseless taking of life," Capps said.

Steven and Katie were arrested on Jan. 27 and charged with adultery and contributing to delinquency, months after the baby was born in September. Steven was released on a $1 million bond but his daughter remained at the Wake County Detention Center until late February. She was released after posting a $12,000 secured bond.

According to the terms of her release, Katie was prohibited from contacting her biological father and was mandated to reside in New York with her adoptive parents.

Katie was given up for adoption by Steven and his wife, Alyssa, in the 1990s but they all reunited in 2016 after Katie tracked down her biological parents with the help of social media. Steven and Alyssa divorced each other in 2017.

“There are no words to describe the sense of betrayal and disgust I'm feeling,” Alyssa told the Daily Mail in February. “I waited 18 long years to have a relationship with my daughter — and now he's completely destroyed it.”

Police are currently investigating the motive behind the killings.