A Message from the DA’s Office: Tragedy in Sheffield

From The Berkshire District Attorney's Office

Tragedy in Sheffield

The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the difficult and emotionally demanding work undertaken by law enforcement, firefighters and emergency responders in Sheffield over the last couple of days.

As you may know, a couple and their three children died in Sheffield Wednesday, when a morning fire swept through their home. Several fire departments from Berkshire County and beyond extinguished the flames, and state and local police conducted an extensive investigation of the property.

The District Attorney's Office handles media relations for homicides and unattended deaths in Berkshire County, and all criminal cases once they reach the courts. We collaborate with police from jurisdictions where crimes occur to provide information. In addition to working hand-in-hand with police in Sheffield on Wednesday, DA Andrea Harrington on Thursday performed the difficult duty of breaking the news that Massachusetts State Police were investigating the fatal fire incident as a quadruple murder-suicide, with the adult man in the home suspected of being the assailant.

The District Attorney's Office offers sincere condolences to all affected by this tragedy. We also say thank you to the following agencies for carrying out such important work in the most strenuous conditions:

- The State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, with special mention to Detective Edward Culver

- State Police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal

- The Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section

- Forensic scientists assigned to the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory

- The Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section

- The Sheffield Police Department

- The Great Barrington Police Department

- The Sheffield Volunteer Fire Department - MA

- The Great Barrington Fire Department

- The Monterey Fire Company Ltd.

- The Egremont Fire Department

- The Richmond Fire Dept.

- The New Marlborough Fire Department

- The Canaan Fire Co. in Connecticut

- The Norfolk Volunteer Fire Dept., in Connecticut

(article image taken from the Berkshire DA's Facebook Page)