Airman, Family Die in Apparent Murder-Suicide
An Air Force missile specialist apparently shot his wife and his two teenage sons before killing himself in his home at Vandenberg Air Force Base, officials said.
The bodies of Master Sgt. Joseph Macaluso Jr., his wife, Pamela, and their two teenage sons were found in their home about 8:45 a.m. Monday morning. All four died of gunshot wounds.
Col. Richard Baldwin said that the deaths appeared to be a murder-suicide. There were no signs of forced entry and two handguns were found in the home. The Macalusos had been seeking counseling from the base chaplain, Baldwin said.
The family could have been dead as long as four days before their bodies were discovered. Baldwin said that Macaluso, a 20-year veteran, did not show up for work last Thursday. When he failed to appear for a scheduled Easter dinner, his relatives called the base and asked authorities to check on him.
Macaluso, a native of Chicago, tested and evaluated missile systems. He was technically assigned to the Los Angeles Air Force Base, but he worked at Vandenberg, in Santa Barbara County.
The Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations and the Santa Barbara County coroner’s office are investigating.
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