Massachusetts State Police search Gardner woods for murder suspect Aaron Pennington
GARDNER - The wide-ranging search for Gardner murder suspect Aaron Pennington entered a third day Tuesday, a day after his car was found by a hunter.
Pennington, 33, is wanted for the shooting death of his 30-year-old wife Breanne Pennington at their home on Cherry Street Sunday morning.
Massachusetts State Police said they were searching through 175 acres of woods at Camp Collier, a Boy Scout camp in Gardner where a bow hunter found Pennington's BMW deep in the woods and mud about three miles from the family's home.
Pennington has a military background. The United States Air Force confirmed Tuesday that he served on active duty from 2015-2022. He transferred to the reserves in mid-2022 and left the service last February with the rank of Senior Airman. He was a "special mission aircraft maintenance journeyman," a spokesperson told WBZ-TV.
Investigators are operating on the assumption that Pennington is still alive, that he's on the run, armed and dangerous.
"Please no one in the public go out and try to look for this guy," Worcester County District Attorney Joe Early, Jr. told reporters at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
According to court documents released Monday, the couple had problems with their marriage "for quite some time" and Breanne Pennington had planned to move to Texas with their four children. The children went to a neighbor's house looking for help Sunday morning because, investigators say, they couldn't find their father and said their mother was crying in her bedroom.
The documents revealed that when police got to the Pennington's home, they found Breanne Pennington had died after being shot in the face. The Department of Children and Families is now taking care of the couple's children.
Authorities started searching for Aaron Pennington, saying he has a history of mental health issues and may be armed.
Police found his BMW Monday afternoon abandoned in the woods at the Boy Scout camp. Officers scoured the area near the car but did not find Pennington. That search expanded and intensified Tuesday.
The search concluded at about 6 p.m. Tuesday night and will continue Wednesday morning.
"Last night I went out and I checked my trucks before I went to bed to be sure no one was in them," said Jodilee Duke who lives in the search area. She hopes searchers are able to close in on Pennington soon. "That way, we can just feel comfortable being outside," she said.
Police described Pennington as white, six-feet, two-inches tall, weighing about 175 pounds. He has blonde hair and blue eyes.
If you see Aaron Pennington, you're urged to call 911 immediately and do not approach him.