COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP -- There is still no explanation as to what led a man to take the life of 16-year-old girl before killing himself in Monroe County.
Police say Freddie Simmons, 63, shot the girl, believed to be his niece, multiple times Friday night before shooting himself.
“It's quite sad. I just moved on the block, nice and quiet and never would have expected something like this,” said neighbor Christian Battle.
People living in a quiet cul-de-sac in the Pocono Farms Community are still wondering what would lead to a murder-suicide Friday night.
“I actually just bought the house three weeks ago. I just moved in. I came in from New York City,” said Battle. “So I tried to escape the murders and all that stuff. I thought by coming out to the country but no, I didn't know them at all. I didn't hear a gunshot. I didn't hear anything.”
Pocono Mountain Regional Police say Simmons shot a 16-year-old girl, who neighbors say was his niece, multiple times before shooting himself once in the head, killing them both.
Police say it happened while other family members were in the house and that Simmons left a suicide note saying he was taking the girl with him.
Days after the murder-suicide, the house sat empty.
Neighbor Harold Dover knows the family and is waiting for them to check in.
“She's going to be calling to let us know what's going on, but nobody called yet,” said Dover. “(Simmon’s wife) is not in town. She's not here now. I don't know where she's at,” said Dover.
Police are not releasing the girl's name since she's a juvenile. The Pocono Mountain School District says the girl was a cyber student there.
On Monday, the superintendent issued a statement saying: “We pray for this child, the members of her family, her classmates and teachers at Agora Cyber Charter School and our entire community as everyone tries to deal with this tragic loss.”
Neighbors say you never know what goes on inside a home.
“Things happen. Things happen. They seemed pretty OK. They seemed pretty cool. I don't know,” said Merrick Chin.
“16-year-old girl, that's the worst, you know?” said Battle.
The Monroe County coroner said an autopsy on the girl showed she died from a gunshot wound. Pocono Mountain Regional Police say the investigation continues.