Ava Wood Obituary, Death – Ava Wood, 14, of Baldwinsville, New York, and 51-year-old father was shot and killed in a murder-suicide incident on January 20, 2023. Officers were summoned to 6 Triangle Place around 8:30 a.m. Friday after a lady called to urge police to check on her daughter and estranged husband. According to Syracuse.com, the woman told investigators that her daughter did not show up to school on Friday and that no one answered the door, despite the presence of cars in the driveway. According to Lefancheck, the woman offered police keys to the house. Officers discovered 14-year-old Ava Wood and her father, 51-year-old Christopher Wood, dead of apparent gunshot wounds in different beds after conducting a search.
The elder Wood’s wound appeared to be self-inflicted, according to Lefancheck, and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the situation. “While the medical examiner and Sheriff (Toby) Shelley’s criminal investigation division must surely conclude their investigations, (a murder-suicide) appears to be a likely outcome of this investigation,” he stated. According to the chief, Wood and his wife were married but lived apart. Shelley informed reporters that authorities were looking into two earlier instances involving the couple, including a possible case of aggravated harassment two days prior. He said that the report contained text messages from Wood to his wife. Deputies also investigated an incident in which Wood’s wife said he was stalking her, according to Shelley.
Ava was in the ninth grade at Durgee Junior High School. According to Syracuse.com, she participated in track and field and soccer for the school. “Ava was interested in school athletics and appears to be a highly involved young lady,” Lefancheck continued. “This is a tragic tragedy that will have an impact on our community. It is a tremendous tragedy to have a young girl, 14 years old, whose life has been cut short and who will not be able to experience growing up, college, and all of the other things that we all hope for ourselves and our children.”
Acting Baldwinsville School Administration Superintendent Joseph DeBarbieri indicated in a letter to parents, guardians, and staff members that the district was offering assistance and counseling services to students and staff members suffering with Ava’s death. “We are a small school community, and this tragedy has devastated our hearts,” DeBarbieri said. “During this terrible moment, our hearts go out to Ava’s family and friends.” On Friday, school officials canceled after-school programming, stating that kids and families would have access to counseling and support resources.