Lynn Reichenbach-Vanderhall, her daughter Melissa Vanderhall and Melissa's friend Janel Simpson were bludgeoned to death on Long Island Saturday (Facebook)
A hammer-wielding deranged man went on a bloody rampage in a suburban New York home, killing his mother, sister and another woman, according to reports.
Bobby Vanderhall, 34, was charged with murder in the deaths of the three women after police found him sleeping in a car nearby. He also was charged with trying to kill a fourth women.
Lynn Reichenbach-Vanderhall had recently kicked her son Bobby out of their home on Long Island after he became increasingly violent, the New York Post reported.
He’s accused of flying into a rage when he showed up at the house around 2:15 a.m. Saturday and discovered the doors locked.
Nassau and Hempstead police investigate the scene of a triple homicide in Hempstead, N.Y., Saturday. (Howard Schnapp/Newsday via AP)
"He went to the garage. He obtained a large hammer, Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick, head of the Nassau County Police Homicide Squad. “With this framing hammer, he broke through the basement door."
The Post quoted police as saying that Vanderhall attacked his mother in the living room. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
His younger sister Melissa, 28, and two friends heard the fatal beating, the paper reported.
“The girls, who were all upstairs, heard what was going on in the living room,” Fitzpatrick said, according to the paper. “As they came to the staircase, Bobby was already coming up after them.”
Melissa and Janel Simpson, 29, were also pronounced dead at the scene.
Candace Murray, 29, fought back and ran out of the house, CBS New York reported.
Bobby Vanderhall (Facebook)
The Post reported that her wrist was broken fending off the attack.
Lynn Reichenbach-Vanderhall taught young children at a day care center. Her daughter was a physician’s assistant.
Fitzpatrick said Vanderhall had a history of "emotional issues" and had on two occasions been taken from his mother's home to a medical center.
Authorities said Vanderhall's behavior had become more troubling recently, leading his mother to obtain an order of protection against him -- and then to evict him.
He had a record of arrests for drunken driving, drug possession and sexual abuse, according to reports.
Vanderhall was awaiting arraignment on three murder charges and an attempted murder charge.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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