Troy Ryan Bellar (Photo) Kills Family & Himself But Teen Son Escapes

Posted on May 4, 2009

Nathan Bellar, 13, ran through the garage to escape being killed by his father, Troy Ryan Bellar.Â Bellar murdered his wife, two children, and then killed himself on his front lawn. Read more on t his tragic story below.

Police have not discovered a suicide note or motive for the killings. But investigators saidÂ Troy Ryan Bellar, 34, shot and killed his wife, Wendy Bellar, 31, and their 5-month-old and 8-year-old son before killing himself outside their home in Lakeland, Florida.

Teen son, Nathan Bellar, was chased through the garage by his father, evading gunshots, and made it safely to a neighbor’s house. The boy was being placed with family members.

“I heard Wendy screaming and the baby crying,” said Doug Lane, who lives next door. He described hearing a barrage of gunfire erupt from his neighbor’s home.

Wendy Bellar sounded as if she was in “horror, terror,” he said.

“I knew it was a powerful gun,” Lane said. “I knew it was gunfire.”

Wendy Bellar reportedly tried to leave the home with two of the children after a fight with her husband, Polk County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Scott Wilder said .

But Troy Bellar opened fire with a 7.62 mm rifle and killed his wife, 5-month-old Zack James Bellar and 8-year-old Ryan Patrick Bellar on the front porch.

“It’s a very, very angry and selfish and cowardly person who murdered his family,” Wilder said. “What motive or what explanation can you give?”

Investigators say Troy Bellar ran a home remodeling and handyman business. His wife was a stay-at-home mom.

Lane said Troy Bellar’s business seemed to keep going despite the economic downturn.

“He said the remodeling had dropped off, but he was doing repair work for commercial apartments and that sort of thing,” Lane said. “He said that he was staying busy.”

Troy Ryan Bellar had been arrested twice in the county, on suspicion of aggravated assault in 1994 and suspicion of driving under the influence in 1999. Wendy Bellar was arrested in March on suspicion of domestic battery.

Lane said he never heard the couple arguing. On Sunday evening, they were sitting outside together, giving no indication that anything was wrong.

“Troy and Wendy were good, good neighbors,” he said. “Fortunate to know them. Just an awful shock.”

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