A primary school teacher and his husband have been found dead on a beach in a 'murder-suicide' amid claims they sexually abused teenage boys. Aric Babbitt, 40, and his spouse, Matthew Deyo, 36, were under investigation for allegedly having sexual contact with several boys, court papers show.
Police arrived at the couple's home and tried to speak to them after a 16-year-old boy claimed he was involved in a sexual relationship with the pair.
However, neither Babbitt nor Deyo agreed to provide a statement, instead borrowing a relative's gun and leaving the city, it is reported.
Nine days later, they were discovered dead by a kayaker on a beach thousands of miles away, with both having suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the head.
A coroner has since said that Deyo shot his husband, before turning the weapon on himself and pulling the trigger, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports.
The couple, who lived in South St Paul, Minnesota, had travelled to Washington state ahead of their deaths on the evening of August 24.
They were found dead on a beach on Lopez Island the next day, with no signs of struggle on either of their bodies, coroner Randall Gaylord said.
The gun was reportedly discovered near the corpses, alongside a suicide note.
Babbitt's sister, Sara, later sent a text message to loved ones revealing the family had received a letter from the couple, according to the Pioneer Press.
In the message, she apparently alluded to the sex abuse investigation and said the pair 'felt like they didn’t have an out and ending their lives was best for them'.
“We received a letter from them in the mail yesterday,” she said.
“We are all devastated and in a lot of pain.”
Babbitt, a teacher at Lincoln Elementary School, and Deyo were being investigated over the allegations, but had not been charged with any crime.
On August 14, their alleged teenage victim had gone to police, claiming the couple had bought him gifts and had sex with him, court records show.
The boy reportedly told detectives that Babbitt - who taught children as young as six - had agreed to mentor him when he came out as gay to his family. HandoutBabbitt and his partner had travelled to Washington state ahead of their deaths on the evening of August 24 Babbitt and his partner had travelled to Washington state ahead of their deaths on the evening of August 24
He also said the pair gave him underwear gifts, took him to a jazz concert and had sex with him, according to the documents, seen by the Star Tribune .
And he allegedly handed over pictures of himself naked with Babbitt.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police he didn’t want 'to do this, but felt unsure about how to say no'.
At least two victims also reportedly came forward claiming they had been preyed on by the couple.
Babbitt, who had been hired by the school district in 2002, was suspended following the allegations against him and his partner.
On August 16, investigators searched the couple's home and attempted to speak with them about the claims, the court papers show.
During the search, the officials found a hidden camera in the bathroom and a computer folder named 'Kiddies', according to the Star Tribune.
Babbitt and Deyo later left the state, asking to borrow Deyo's brother's gun because they were 'going camping' and needed protection from bears.
They were found dead after failing to contact loved ones for more than a week and missing a family trip, it is reported.
Coroner Gaylord recorded a verdict of homicide in Babbitt’s death, while Deyo was ruled to have died by suicide.
The investigation into the alleged sexual abuse is ongoing.
Yep if you are gay you are a sexual pervert and have mental issues. Thats why so many are addicted to drugs. Im willing to bet most gay people have been mentally and or physically raped as a child. Instead of society dealing with this they promote being gay as good instead of the mental disease that it is.
