54 guns found in teen's home

2005-11-18 09:56

Lititz, Pennsylvania - Police seized 54 guns from the home of an 18-year-old man charged with killing his girlfriend's parents and fleeing the state with her.

Warwick Township police removed the weapons, which included an array of rifles, shotguns, handguns and ammunition, on Sunday afternoon from the home where suspect David Ludwig lived with his parents, court documents showed on Thursday. The search occurred as police were still trying to find Ludwig and 14-year-old Kara Beth Borden.

Ludwig is being held without bail on murder and kidnapping charges after being flown back to Lancaster County on Tuesday from Indiana, where police arrested him following a chase.

Police allege Ludwig shot Michael and Cathryn Borden shortly before 08:00 on Sunday at their home in Lititz following an argument over his relationship with Kara. The two had been dating, apparently secretly, friends and witnesses said.

Ludwig was arrested at about midday on Monday after he crashed his parents' car into a tree in Indiana, about 965 kilometres from Lititz, during a police chase. Neither Ludwig nor the girl, who has not been charged, was injured in the crash.

The Bordens were each shot once in the head with what authorities said was probably a .40-caliber handgun.

Investigators have said they are treating Kara Borden as a crime victim but that the investigation is continuing.

Traumatic experience

Ludwig's parents, Gregory and Jane Ludwig, issued a statement on Wednesday expressing their sorrow over the slayings but have not spoken publicly. They have not returned multiple phone messages seeking comment.

Ludwig apparently was an avid hunter and posted 20 pictures labelled "Hunting 2004" on a world wide web site that included an image of him posing with freshly killed deer.

Robert D Beyer, a Lancaster attorney who is representing Kara Borden, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he met with the girl, her court-appointed guardian and family on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"First of all, she's a little girl," Beyer said. "Since Sunday, she's been going through a trauma, or a series of traumas, that would probably send most adults reeling. I think she's still in shock to some degree. She's rather confused over what happened."

Asked whether police have said if Kara is a target of their investigation, Beyer said: "If she were, I don't know that she would be free. ... I'd like to think if she was the focus of that investigation, she would be in custody."

- AP