Eastpointe man to stand trial for wife, children's murders

Testimony: Timothy Fradeneck planned to kill self

EASTPOINTE, Mich. – A distraught family was only 10 feet from a defendant who took three lives: Christie, Timothy and Celeste.

Two officers arrived at the Eastpointe home April 13 to check on the family. Timothy Fradeneck opened the door and said they were asleep.

"We asked if we could check on his wife and kids in person. At that time the defendant states that there is no need for us to because they were dead," said Randan Burkall, of Eastpointe police.

According to the testimony on Tuesday, Fradeneck entered each of their bedrooms, starting with his wife. He got on top of each of them to force air from their lungs, then strangled them with a USB cord.

"I observed a child motionless in a bed," said Burkall.

That was 2-year-old Celeste. All of the bodies appeared to be tucked into their beds.

A detective says Fradeneck told him after he killed 8-year-old Timothy he placed a LEGO toy into his hand. But why did he kill the children and his wife?

"He stated that he did not think that they could deal with the heartache of him taking his own life," said Det. Matthew Hambright.

He said he took 28 Klonopin pills, which he used to treat his bipolar disorder. He removed six smoke detectors while planning to burn down the house, but he fell asleep.

"He felt impelled based on his serious mental illness to kill himself and his family," said defense attorney Steve Kaplan.

Prosecutors believe this was not an impulsive act by a man who didn't know right from wrong. The murders were planned.

"I asked him how long he had been thinking about this and he said, 'Since I got out of the hospital in August," said Hambright.

Fradeneck will undergo a psychiatric evaluation before he is put on trial for premeditated murder.

More: Neighbors, family stunned by Eastpointe triple murder

Timothy Fradeneck