Search continues for Gardner man wanted for questioning in wife’s homicide, state police say

GARDNER, Mass. — Authorities continued their search on Friday for a Gardner man who is wanted for questioning in the homicide of his wife, 30-year-old Breanne Pennington in October, state police said.

Breanne Pennington was found fatally shot in their Cherry Street home on Oct. 22, 2023, according to an application for criminal complaint filed by police in Gardner District Court. The couple’s four young children were also found inside that home, and were placed in state custody, authorities said following her death.

The Massachusetts State Police Special Emergency Response Team searched woods in Ashburnham and Gardner, with the day’s search concluding late Friday afternoon, state police said. The search and rescue unit is specifically trained for, among other missions, ground searches of difficult terrain.

“We searched an extensive wooded area by foot and ATVs, including a 25-mile stretch along power lines. Nothing to report. The investigation into his whereabouts continues,” state police said Friday afternoon.

Soon after Breanne Pennington was found fatally shot, authorities said Aaron Pennington, 33, should be considered armed and dangerous. Authorities described him as a white male with blonde hair, and blue eyes, standing 6 feet, 2 inches tall, and weighing approximately 175 pounds.

He and his wife were having marital problems before Breanne Pennington was found fatally shot in their home, police said in their application for criminal complaint. Police sought to arrest Aaron Pennington for unlawfully possessing a firearm or ammunition.

On Oct. 22, 2023, the day his wife was found dead in their home, police issued a public alert for Aaron Pennington’s white BMW 320 sedan with a Massachusetts Veterans plate number, later saying Pennington may have attached one of two other registrations with Texas or California plates to the vehicle.

Authorities later found found a white BMW sedan believed to belong to Aaron Pennington in a wooded area in Gardner, about three miles from the couple’s home. Residents in the Kelton Street neighborhood were asked to shelter-in-place as investigators combed the wooded area.

‘Be on alert’: Man wanted for questioning after death of woman inside Gardner home, DA says

Breanne Pennington was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound to the face in an upstairs bedroom shortly after 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, police wrote in their application for criminal complaint.

At 9:14 a.m. on that day, police received a 911 call from a neighbor asking for assistance “after her neighbor’s four children came over to her house scared because they could not find their father and their mother was in her bedroom crying,” police wrote. The children told the neighbor that their father’s vehicle was no longer in their driveway.

Investigators did not locate a firearm, but they found three spent shell casings in the bedroom, according to police.

The couple’s four young children, who were ages 2, 5, 7, and 9 when their mother was killed, were placed in state custody, authorities said.

Through interviews and video surveillance, investigators learned that the couple “had been dealing with marital issues for quite some time,” police wrote.

“Breanne Pennington had plans of moving to Texas with the kids to be away from Aaron Pennington. Aaron Pennington suffered from mental health issues and had threatened suicide,” police wrote.

Breanne Pennington kept a firearm at the residence for her protection, police wrote. However, neither she nor her husband, Aaron, were licensed to carry in Massachusetts.

According to Aaron Pennington’s Facebook page, he is a member of the U.S. Air Force and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call Massachusetts State Police at 508-829-8236 or Gardner Police at 978-632-5600.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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