Kids Allegedly Killed by Mom 'Knew They Were Loved'

Feb. 8, 2011 — -- The two Tampa, Fla., teens allegedly murdered by their own mother "knew they were loved," their father said today at a memorial service.

Julie Schenecker, who is accused of killing her children Calyx, 16, and Beau, 13, on Jan. 27, allegedly told police she shot the two because they were "mouthy."

"I know my children were loved. They knew they were loved," Army Col. Parker Schenecker, who was in Qatar when his children were killed, said at the Christ Chapel Bible Church in his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. "Now we all must go forward to honor them with love and respect for each other."

None of the speakers at the service mentioned Julie Schenecker, who police say wrote a note several day before the murders lamenting that Florida gun laws would delay what she called the "massacre" of her children.

The note is evidence that Julie Schenecker's alleged shooting of her two teenage children, who she told cops were "mouthy," was premeditated.

Police spokeswoman Lauren McElroy had told ABC News last month that Schenecker had left notes behind, one written before the murders and one written after in which she described the alleged execution of her children.

McElroy told ABC News affiliate WFTS-TV in Tampa on Monday that one of those notes described how she went to buy a .38 caliber pistol on the weekend before the Jan. 27 murders, only to be confronted by Florida's gun laws which require a three day waiting period to take a gun home.

The note shows Schenecker complaining that the state's gun laws would "delay the massacre," McElroy said.

Julie Schenecker, 50, remains in custody and has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

Col. Schenecker was working in the Middle East when the murders occurred. Since his return to the United States, he has not supported his wife, police said.

Julie Schenecker was arrested Jan. 28 when police, responding to a call about a possibly suicidal woman, found her unconscious in the pool area of the family's backyard, according to the search warrant. She was wearing a robe with dried blood on it.

After Julie Schenecker awakened, she told police that she had shot her son Beau and daughter Calyx the day before because they "talked back, they were mouthy and she was tired of it," police said.

While inspecting the home, police discovered the bodies of the children.

Schenecker's daughter, Calyx, was found in an upstairs bedroom, and Beau was found in an SUV in the garage, McElroy said. Beau was shot on the way to soccer practice and Calyx was shots while she was sitting at her desk doing her homework, police said.

Julie Schenecker covered both children with blankets, according to the search warrant. She moved her daughter's body from her desk to her bed, police said. Police found the gun and a box of Smith and Wesson bullets in the home, according to the search warrant.

Schenecker wrote a detailed notes planning the murder and after the murders occurred, she wrote detailed notes describing the crimes, McElroy said in an interview last month.

"It's hard to believe that a mother authored the notes because it's very methodical, non-emotional description of the murder of two innocent children, of her own children. Whe she's describing it, it's just a very matter of fact, devoid of emotion, matter," McElroy said.

Schenecker Investigated for Child Abuse

Friends have described the family as appearing normal and happy but a Tampa police report filed in November showed that Julie Schenecker had been investigated for alleged child abuse.

Police visited the Schenecker home Nov. 6, 2010, to investigate an allegation of child abuse made by Calyx. No charges were filed against Schenecker but, according to the police report, Schenecker acknowledged that she had hit her daughter.

Two days after police visited the Schenecker home, the mom of two got into a car accident that sent her to the hospital.

At the scene of the car accident, the petite blonde "showed signs of drug impairment," according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.

Julie Schenecker was charged with careless driving and forced to take classes, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

A woman who asked to remain anonymous told ABC News that the family of Julie Schenecker attended an Al-Anon meeting three weeks before the murders. Al-Anon is a support group for those whose family members abuse drugs or alcohol.

Colonel Schenecker accompanied Beau and Calyx to the meeting of about 20 people, the woman said..

"He was just like any normal dad. He was there to help his kids," the woman said. "It was mentioned by the dad that they were there for the mother [Schenecker]...he said that she did have a drug and alcohol problem and they were here to cope with it."