What prompted man's rage in fatal shooting of his parents remains unclear, Hamilton County sheriff says

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Hamilton Co. Sheriff and Coroner give updates on Christmas day double homicide and suicide in Noblesville. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar

Noblesville — Hamilton County investigators believe a man fatally shot his elderly parents “in a fit of rage” before turning the gun on himself on Christmas Day. 

Todd Moon, 48, called his sister to the home in the 11200 block of East 191st and asked her to pick up his young children because of some kind of disturbance, Hamilton County Sheriff Mark Bowen said Wednesday. When the sister arrived Monday afternoon, she found Todd Moon to be inconsolable.

“Todd, in a fit of rage, pulled out a handgun and began firing at his mother,” Bowen said. “He then went to a back room and began firing at his father.”

Donald Moon Sr., 84, and 81-year-old Joyce Moon were killed. Investigators believe Todd Moon then turned the gun on himself.

The sister fled the home with the children, Bowen said, and heard a final gunshot as they left. She took the children to a nearby fire station and notified authorities.

What caused the disturbance remains unclear, Bowen said, though it may have begun as a physical altercation between mother and son.

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Coroner John Chalfin said autopsies completed Wednesday morning showed Donald and Joyce Moon suffered multiple gunshot wounds and Todd Moon suffered a single gunshot wound.

“Certainly at a time when most folks are home celebrating the holidays with family and friends, we experienced a very tragic situation here in Hamilton County where a family lost three family members in one afternoon,” Bowen said.

Bowen said the children likely didn’t see the shots fired but heard them. They are staying with family. 

Bowen said there is no history of police calls to the residence, where Todd Moon and his children, both 8, had lived with his parents for about five years. Furthermore, investigators don’t have any information indicating Todd Moon had a criminal history or a documented history of mental illness, he said.

"This really comes as a surprise to many people, obviously his family, and to us as well," Bowen said. "Certainly that’s something that we’re really trying to nail down and identify just exactly what sent him over the edge and caused him to do something so horrific on Christmas holiday."

Investigators will continue to interview Todd Moon's extended family and friends in an attempt to get a clearer picture of what factors might have influenced his behavior that day. 

"I'm afraid we may never know what truly set this gentleman off and caused him to do such a horrific thing," Bowen said.  

Call IndyStar reporter Holly Hays at (317) 444-6156. Follow her on Twitter: @hollyvhays.