A murder warrant has been issued for ‘armed and dangerous’ Raytheon worker who is accused of shooting his wife in the face at their Massachusetts family home.
US Air Force veteran Aaron Pennington, 33, allegedly gunned down his partner Breanne, 30, on Sunday morning before fleeing in a white BMW sedan which was later found in the woods.
Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr has issued a murder warrant for Pennington as authorities desperately search for him, warning the public not to approach him because he is believed to be armed.
Gardner Police officers were called to the Pennington home on Cherry Street in the north MA town, where they found mom-of-four Breanne in an upstairs bedroom with a gunshot wound to her face, according to a criminal complaint.
The discovery was made after the couple’s children – aged two, five, seven and nine – ran to a neighbor’s house at around 9.14am.
US Air Force veteran Aaron Pennington, 33, allegedly gunned down his wife Breanne, 30, on Sunday morning before fleeing in a white BMW sedan which was later found in the woods
Breanne ‘Breezy’ Pennington, 30, was found with a gunshot wound to the face
The 33-year-old veteran’s BMW was found abandoned in a wooded area near the city of Gardner
The DA has said Pennington was seen leaving the home at around 9am Sunday in surveillance footage, and on Monday evening a hunter spotted his BMW around 1,500 feet down a wooded trail off Kenton Street near Camp Collier in Gardner.
Cops from several police departments and the K-9 unit have been combing the wooded area for Pennington, deploying search helicopters.
They expanded the search area on Tuesday after admitting his military training is ‘part of the equation’ in the search.
The suspect spent eight years in the US Air Force as a ‘special missions aircraft maintainer’ and now works at Raytheon Missiles & Defense, where he also holds an ‘active secret clearance,’ according to his LinkedIn profile.
After Pennington’s vehicle was discovered Monday, a code red warning was issued to residents in the region to stay inside their homes for several hours.
Officials said the warning was only instated out of ‘an abundance of caution,’ but added in an update on Tuesday they were resuming in the area near Camp Collier, a common woodland for Boy Scout troops.
Investigators added they are ‘operating on the assumption he is still alive’, and warned the public not to approach Pennington if they believe they see him as he is considered armed and highly dangerous.
Three shell casings were found in the bedroom where Breanne was shot, but no weapons were recovered.
Pennington allegedly gunned down his wife at a time when she was planning on leaving him and taking their children to Texas, court documents have revealed
A huge police presence and tactical teams descended on a wooded area near his home in Gardner, Massachusetts, on Tuesday as the manhunt was expanded
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A line of law enforcement vehicles on the scene, which has seen several agencies including the state Special Tactical Operations team aid the manhunt
A helicopter seen deployed overhead as the search was expanded. On Tuesday, officials admitted Pennington’s military background could help him in survivalist situations, and it is ‘part of the equation’ in the manhunt
The criminal complaint also accuses Pennington of illegally possessing a firearm without a license to carry.
A state trooper recalled what happened on Sunday morning.
‘Four children came over to her house scared because they could not find their father and their mother was in her bedroom crying,’ they said.
‘The four children were known to reside with their parents at 42 Cherry Street in the city of Gardner.
‘The children also stated that their father’s vehicle was no longer in the residence’s driveway.’
Investigators said the couple had been facing ‘marital issues for quite some time,’ with Breanne planning to move to Texas with the children to get away from her husband.
She was known to keep a gun at home for her protection, police said.
They also noted that Pennington dealt with ‘mental issues and had threatened suicide.’
The couple’s home in Gardner, Massachusetts, where police found Breanne Pennington, 30, dead in an upstairs bedroom
The couple have four young children, who fled to a neighbor’s house after the attack, claiming their mother was ‘in her bedroom crying’
Pennington spent eight years in the US Air Force as a ‘special missions aircraft maintainer’ and now works at Raytheon Missiles & Defense, where he also holds an ‘active secret clearance,’ according to his LinkedIn profile
Tributes have poured in for Breanne after her passing, with an old friend describing her as an amazing mom, hilarious friend, and a truly sweet soul’
The children were placed in the custody of the state Department of Children and Families.
The investigation into the homicide and Pennington’s whereabouts remains ongoing by Gardner Police, the State Police Detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, and Massachusetts State Police.
Anyone who sees Pennington is encouraged to contact the Gardner Police Department at 978-632-5600 or the Massachusetts State Police at 508-829-8326. Police are warning the public not to approach Pennington as he is potentially armed.
Pennington is described as white and 6’2′ tall, with blond hair and blue eyes. He is armed and dangerous, and police have directed people not to approach him.
