Pocono News Section

Double Murder Suspect Says Relations With Son, Wife Were Strained

Double Murder Suspect Says Relations With Son, Wife Were Strained - Friday, January 25, 2008 at 9:52PM EST

Reported by: Joe Holden
Friday, Jan 25, 2008 @09:52pm EST
RICE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY- Autopsies have been scheduled for 9:00 A.M. Saturday to determine an exact cause of death in the brutal homicides of Maureen Oleski and her son Christian.

The murder victims were found inside their Mountain Top home Friday morning. Husband and father, 62-year-old Charles Oleski, is charged in their deaths.

Court papers show what police believe to have been Charles Oleski's motive when he allegedly pulled the trigger on his wife and son. Police say Oleski told them he cracked under the strain of losing his job and mounting financial problems.

They say he took a shotgun and fired repeatedly at his wife in the living room and then turned a .22-calibre on his son in the dining room. When it was all said and done, court papers indicate Oleski called a family friend and said "I just shot Maureen and Christian."

Oleski was surrounded by reporters on his way in to be arraigned on homicide charges Friday evening. State Police accuse him in the apparent shooting deaths of his 62-year-old wife Maureen and 28-year-old son Christian.

Court papers indicate both had been shot multiple times inside the ranch-style home on Hesplop Road in Rice Township sometime before 10:00 Friday morning.

Luzerne County District Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll said, “Obviously it's just a terrible tragedy. It's a family involved. He lived with his wife, son.” A reporter asks, “What would motivate someone to do this?” Musto Carroll responds, “It's anyone's guess. But obviously as you can see, he appears to be upset about what has happened.”

Court papers spell out an apparent motive, showing relationships between Charles Oleski and his wife and son weren't good and were only strained further by financial hardship.

“There have been claims made he has lost his job at PNC bank and that he has been experiencing these financial problems for quite some time,” added Musto Carroll.

Court documents indicate Mr. Oleski was in the process of getting dressed Friday morning with plans to visit the unemployment office. He never made it there, later telling detectives his wife and son had been yelling at him to get another job.

Oleski allegedly told police he started having bad feelings, later explaining “I don't know what I did. I shot my wife and son. I'm sorry."

Neighbors were moved to tears at hearing what had happened. They say Charlie Oleski was a good guy. Nancy Collison said, “He helped us. He took care of our house, our animals. He was just a wonderful guy. But I don't know the wife, the son. They were not communicative. But Charlie was the best neighbor you could have.”Oleski will face a preliminary hearing February 4.