The Englewood Police Department responded to a 911 call on Saturday evening from 81-year-old Reginald Maclaren who had reported that someone had murdered his daughter and wife with a hammer.
When they arrived, they found both the deceased victims inside of garbage bins in the living room. Maclaren confessed to police that he had lost his job, thus running out of money, and decided to take the lives of his family to prevent them from becoming homeless.
He explained that he had been interacting with homeless people, resulting in him understanding how difficult this kind of life is.
The affidavit detailed that Maclaren was unable to move the bins due to their heaviness. Chief Tracy Jones of the Englewood police division shared that the officers were shaken by the scene. She elaborated that the detectives had been in the field for twenty years and still described the crime scene as one of the most gruesome they had ever experienced.
They have been provided with resources to assist them with the mental health implications of the event. Maclaren indicated that he had no regret for his actions, believing that his family was in a better place. He has been charged with first-degree murder and is in Arapahoe County Jail.