The grim discovery happened about 9 a.m. when Billotti-Wood's father went to the family's two-story yellow clapboard house in the first block of Washington Street after he had not heard from them in a couple of days, authorities said. The man forced entry into the house and found the bodies, then called 911.
The slain mother grew up in Middletown, but the family had just moved back to the area from Florida in August after being transferred by Christopher Wood's employer, according to Susan Moody, a neighbor who lives nearby on Jefferson Street.
"She was very friendly," said Moody, whose daughter had attended Middletown High School with Billotti-Wood, who was nicknamed "Francie," Moody added, "She was nice to everybody. ... She always decorated the house for all the holidays - Halloween, Christmas, St. Patrick's Day. It's hard to believe it happened. She was a vibrant young woman."
Billotti-Wood's parents were founding members 23 years ago of Holy Family Catholic Community in Middletown, according to the Rev. J. Kevin Farmer. The family, which had been attending the church since they returned to the area, was at the church on Easter Sunday, Farmer said. The wife had recently begun teaching Sunday school there, he said.
"We're all in shock," Farmer said. "This was a family that was an integral part of our family. It's a huge loss."
Farmer said he often saw the children playing outside. "They were happy," he said. "They were joyful kids."
At a 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, the congregation "paused in prayer" for the family, he said.
Mike Full, 51, a mortgage consultant, and his 15-year-old daughter, Bailey, huddled near the scene, where passers-by gathered throughout the day. "It's hard to believe something like this happens, especially with kids involved," said Full.
"It's terrible. When something like this happens, it's so unexpected, especially in a small town like Middletown."
Bailey, who said she knows relatives of the family, said she found out about the family's deaths through Facebook. "People statuses [said] rest in peace and stuff," she said.
"It's awful. It's hard to grasp. I don't even know them, but I feel so awful."
