September 25, 2023
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Aaron Deshong, 49, allegedly killed his mother and brother at their home in Collegeville on Sept. 24. Deshong is charged with homicide and related offenses.
A Collegeville man allegedly shot his mother and brother to death at his home on Sunday. He then called the FBI to report what he had done, explaining to the dispatcher that he did not trust local police, Montgomery County prosecutors said.
Aaron Deshong, 49, was charged Monday with two counts of first-degree murder and related offenses following an investigation into the shooting at 747 Gravel Pike in Perkiomen Township.
Pennsylvania State Police were called to the home around 5 p.m. after learning Deshong had called the FBI National Threat Operation Center, an intake line for reporting crimes. Troopers were told that Deshong was possibly armed with a pistol.
At the home, which Deshong shared with his mother, police took Deshong into custody in his garage while he was still on the phone with the FBI. Inside the house, they found Wanda Deshong, 74, and Adam Deshong, 53, both dead on the kitchen floor from apparent gunshot wounds. Wanda was shot once in the head and Adam was shot multiple times. Autopsies determined both deaths were homicides, prosecutors said. Adam had been living in Devon, Chester County.
Deshong allegedly told the FBI dispatcher that he had been "on edge" since the death of his father. He said he was not suicidal and that he possessed two shotguns, two rifles and a pistol, according to a criminal complaint.
When the dispatcher asked Deshong whether his mom and brother were injured, he allegedly repeated, "That's a good question."
Investigators obtained a search warrant for the home and found a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver in a basement closet. The gun had four spent shell casings and two live rounds in the cylinder, police said. Records showed that Deshong purchased the gun in 2004.
Authorities did not share any other information about what may have led to the shooting. An investigation remains ongoing. Deshong is being held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
