A father’s incestuous obsession with his own daughter exploded into a multistate murder-suicide, confessed in horror to his mother before his death, shattering families and underscoring the collapse of moral order.
Story Snapshot
- Steven Pladl, 42, reconnected with biological daughter Katie, 20, via social media, leading to an illicit affair, marriage plans, and the birth of their son Bennett.
- After Katie ended the relationship, Steven suffocated 7-month-old Bennett in North Carolina, then shot Katie and her adoptive father Anthony Busco in Connecticut before suiciding in New York.
- Steven’s mother received his chilling confession via phone and called 911, revealing the full extent of the tragedy.
- Police confirmed Steven’s history of child abuse and gun ownership, highlighting unchecked dangers in broken families.
Timeline of the Tragedy
Katie Pladl entered the world in January 1998, born to Steven Pladl and his wife, then adopted out at eight months for her well-being. Around 2016, upon turning 18, Katie contacted her biological parents through social media and moved in with them in August. Steven soon left his wife, began sleeping in Katie’s room, and their affair developed rapidly. By May 2017, his wife discovered Katie’s pregnancy via a journal entry. The couple planned marriage, forcing young siblings to address Katie as “stepmom.”
Incest Charges and Escalation
Bennett Pladl arrived in November 2017 from the incestuous union. Authorities charged Steven and Katie with incest in January 2018 after the baby’s birth. Tensions peaked when Katie ended the relationship. On April 11, 2018, Steven suffocated 7-month-old Bennett in Knightdale, North Carolina. He then drove to New Milford, Connecticut, where he fatally shot Katie and her adoptive father, Anthony Busco, 56, using an AR-15 rifle with shots to the torso and head.
Steven fled to Dover, New York, called his mother to confess the killings, then took his own life. His mother, sobbing on the 911 call, relayed: “He told me he killed his baby… killed his wife [Katie], her father.” New Milford Police Chief Shawn Boyne detailed the shooting mechanics at a press conference. Medical examiners confirmed Bennett’s suffocation death.
Background of Abuse and Dysfunction
Steven Pladl carried a dark history of child abuse, including pinching infant Katie and placing her in a cooler, risking suffocation. Family described him as a “special kind of scary.” He owned multiple guns, amplifying his dominance through parental authority and firepower. Katie’s post-adoption vulnerability fueled the obsessive reunion. His ex-wife, Katie’s biological mother, witnessed the affair, reported it to authorities, and moved out. Social media bridged the adoption gap, unleashing tragedy.
Power imbalances defined relationships: Steven dominated Katie, viewing her adoptive family as rivals. Young siblings endured the warped dynamic, calling their sister “stepmom.” No policy changes followed, but the case exposed gaps in incest prosecution and risks of unregulated reunions. True crime media later amplified the story through A&E profiles.
Impact on Families and Society
The Pladl and Busco families lay devastated, with immediate multistate police responses and media frenzy. Knightdale and New Milford communities grieved the losses. Steven’s actions underscored social taboos on incest, echoing rare family tragedies rooted in abuse. Politically, the AR-15 use spotlighted gun access in domestic horrors, yet conservatives affirm Second Amendment rights while decrying moral decay eroding family values. Limited data post-2018 confirms the case closed without broader reforms.
Sources:
Mom says son in incest case confessed to killing daughter, baby
Steven Pladl’s Descent Into Abuse, Incest and Murder
