The stepmother of a woman accused of killing her husband and 3-year-old son says a discovery after the tragedy left her wondering whether the deaths had been planned in advance.
Metallica Rose Harrison, 27, is accused of fatally stabbing her husband, Charles Harrison, and their young son during an extended stay at Great Wolf Lodge. The family had been staying at the resort for several weeks, and relatives believed the trip was meant to be a special treat for their son, who loved water parks.
According to Harrison’s stepmother, April Thetga, the family had spoken with Metallica on a video call just hours before the incident. The conversation seemed normal, she told the New York Post. Metallica reportedly expressed love for her family, and nothing about the call made relatives suspect something terrible was about to happen.
But after the deaths, Thetga learned that the knives allegedly used in the attack had been brought from the family’s home. That detail changed how she viewed the trip and raised questions about whether the violence had been planned ahead of time.
“I was told the knives came from her home. Her house. So to me, it was planned,” Thetga told the newspaper.
Police say Harrison called 911 after the deaths and was later taken to a hospital for injuries. She has been charged with two counts of criminal homicide. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Despite the family’s shock, a motive remains unclear. Thetga said relatives are struggling to understand what happened, describing the family as loving and saying they want answers.
Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths. For relatives, the ordinary final video call and the discovery about the knives have left painful questions about what may have happened behind the scenes.