Pennsylvania house that was scene of mass shooting was ‘filthy,’ filled with bottles of urine

A family patriarch had become “increasingly controlling” inside his “filthy” northwest Pennsylvania home before opening fire and killing eight people last week, officials said Thursday. Matthew Stone, 45, died of a self-inflicted gunshot on Friday evening, bringing a tragic end to years of descent inside his Perry Street house in Erie, authorities said. The weapon he used was linked to a previous domestic violence allegation, according to police. Toilets and sinks did not appear to be working and 2-liter bottles filled with urine were all over the house, Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said. “Detectives described the home as extremely filthy,” Lorah told reporters. Loved ones painted a disturbing picture of Stone’s dominant role inside that house, police said.

“According to relatives, he controlled the family’s finances … and restricted when family members could leave the residence or spend time with relatives,” Lorah said. The police chief went on to say that family members told detectives that his behavior had been going on for years. They described Matthew becoming increasingly controlling after his wife, Michelle Stone, became pregnant with their first child. “Over time, contact with extended family became more limited. Michelle stopped maintaining contact with friends,” Lorah said. “Our department also had a record of prior domestic violence incident at that home.” In that 2019 case, Stone was arrested