Three killed in NCCo courthouse shooting

A shooting at the New Castle County Courthouse Monday morning left three people dead and two Capitol Police officers injured.

The gunman, Thomas Matusiewicz, 68, of Texas, was shot and killed by Capitol Police after he opened fire at the King Street courthouse, killing his ex-daughter-in-law and her friend, police said.

Christine Belford, 39, and Laura Mulford, 47, both of Newark, were gunned down just after 8 a.m. Monday.

Thomas Matusiewicz's son and Belford's ex-husband, David Matusiewicz, was taken into custody after the shooting.

Belford and David Matusiewicz had been engaged in a bitter custody battle over their three children since divorcing in 2006, and were both scheduled to appear in court Monday.

David Matusiewicz had served three years in prison for kidnapping the couple's three daughters and taking them to Central America, where he kept them from 2007 until 2009 against Belford's wishes.

He was also charged then with defrauding the Wilmington Savings Fund Society before fleeing the country.

The courthouse was on lock down and King Street was closed off at Ninth Street, with dozens of law enforcement vehicles at the scene, and will remain closed Feb. 12 to allow police to continue their investigation and allow Capitol Police to prepare for reopening Wednesday.

Delaware State Police Homicide Detectives are continuing their investigation by conducting interviews, reviewing video surveillance, and collecting evidence from the crime scene, said Sgt. Paul Shavack, a spokesman for the State Police.