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By Phil Trexler
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 09:26 p.m. EDT, Apr 11, 2009
HUDSON:For most of this week, friends held out hope that Patricia Knudson and her son were all right, that somehow they would be found alive.
Last Sunday, a massive fire ripped through their expansive Hudson home. The blaze swept through just a day or two before foreclosure proceedings were to end and Knudson and her sons were to leave their longtime home.
On Monday, son Michael Knudson, 39, was arrested and charged with setting the fire.
And today, the hopes of friends were dashed as authorities found the bodies of Patricia Knudson, 64, and 42-year-old son John buried outside their Connecticut Woods Drive home.
''It's one of those things where you're kind of hoping against hope that they would be discovered. Nobody really knew,'' said the Rev. James Colledge of the Hudson Community Chapel, which Patricia Knudson attended faithfully for years. ''It's just very tragic.''
Foul play is suspected, according to the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office. Autopsies are planned for Monday.
Colledge said members had been aware of the fire and the apparent disappearance of Patricia and John Knudson since last Sunday.
Knudson's husband, James, died in 2004. He was a vice president with Primerica Financial Services. The couple had been married 39 years and had five children.
Patricia Knudson talked about losing her home and the financial struggle she, like millions of other Americans, was enduring to stave off foreclosure, Colledge said.
She persevered, trying to hold onto the home she had lived in for more than a decade. The 4,000-square-foot house was once valued at about $600,000, according to county property records.
Colledge said Knudson's death and life would be discussed during Easter morning services.
''There was sadness,'' Colledge said of Knudson's struggles. ''But whenever she dealt with anything, she was somebody who dealt with tough things with the kind of emotions we all would.
''There was a strength to her, and I know a lot of that had to do with her faith. She pushed through. She was a strong woman, godly woman.''
Last Sunday's fire was extensive. A passer-by called the Hudson Fire Department at 12:15 p.m. after seeing flames rushing from the 21/2-story home.
The Hudson Fire Department responded with 29 firefighters, two engines, a tanker, a heavy rescue truck and a grass truck. The Boston Heights, Macedonia, Twinsburg, Streetsboro and Valley fire departments provided more help.
A major portion of the main part of the house was destroyed. Damage was estimated at more than $400,000.
The next day, Hudson police arrested Michael Knudson at the Haven of Rest homeless shelter in Akron. He was charged with aggravated arson and remains in the Summit County Jail in lieu of a $1 million bond.
Questions remained over the whereabouts of Patricia and John Knudson.
Hudson police say fire investigators conducted an ''exhaustive search'' of the property and other locations to find mother and son.
It wasn't until about 10 a.m. today that the bodies were recovered partially buried in the rear of the 16-acre property. They were identified with the use of dental records, police said.
A city spokeswoman did not respond to a request for additional information. A news release today said more information would be released as it develops.
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
HUDSON:For most of this week, friends held out hope that Patricia Knudson and her son were all right, that somehow they would be found alive.
Last Sunday, a massive fire ripped through their expansive Hudson home. The blaze swept through just a day or two before foreclosure proceedings were to end and Knudson and her sons were to leave their longtime home.
On Monday, son Michael Knudson, 39, was arrested and charged with setting the fire.
And today, the hopes of friends were dashed as authorities found the bodies of Patricia Knudson, 64, and 42-year-old son John buried outside their Connecticut Woods Drive home.
''It's one of those things where you're kind of hoping against hope that they would be discovered. Nobody really knew,'' said the Rev. James Colledge of the Hudson Community Chapel, which Patricia Knudson attended faithfully for years. ''It's just very tragic.''
Foul play is suspected, according to the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office. Autopsies are planned for Monday.
Colledge said members had been aware of the fire and the apparent disappearance of Patricia and John Knudson since last Sunday.
Knudson's husband, James, died in 2004. He was a vice president with Primerica Financial Services. The couple had been married 39 years and had five children.
Patricia Knudson talked about losing her home and the financial struggle she, like millions of other Americans, was enduring to stave off foreclosure, Colledge said.
She persevered, trying to hold onto the home she had lived in for more than a decade. The 4,000-square-foot house was once valued at about $600,000, according to county property records.
Colledge said Knudson's death and life would be discussed during Easter morning services.
''There was sadness,'' Colledge said of Knudson's struggles. ''But whenever she dealt with anything, she was somebody who dealt with tough things with the kind of emotions we all would.
''There was a strength to her, and I know a lot of that had to do with her faith. She pushed through. She was a strong woman, godly woman.''
Last Sunday's fire was extensive. A passer-by called the Hudson Fire Department at 12:15 p.m. after seeing flames rushing from the 21/2-story home.
The Hudson Fire Department responded with 29 firefighters, two engines, a tanker, a heavy rescue truck and a grass truck. The Boston Heights, Macedonia, Twinsburg, Streetsboro and Valley fire departments provided more help.
A major portion of the main part of the house was destroyed. Damage was estimated at more than $400,000.
The next day, Hudson police arrested Michael Knudson at the Haven of Rest homeless shelter in Akron. He was charged with aggravated arson and remains in the Summit County Jail in lieu of a $1 million bond.
Questions remained over the whereabouts of Patricia and John Knudson.
Hudson police say fire investigators conducted an ''exhaustive search'' of the property and other locations to find mother and son.
It wasn't until about 10 a.m. today that the bodies were recovered partially buried in the rear of the 16-acre property. They were identified with the use of dental records, police said.
A city spokeswoman did not respond to a request for additional information. A news release today said more information would be released as it develops.
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 09:39 PM, 04/11/2009
ATTN ABJ / Phil Trexler...
Good job of reporting!
This story brings tremendous clarity to the situation as a followup to the initial, breaking news bulletin.
I guess the best news for the community is the fact that the obvious suspect in the murders is already in custody for the arson.
akron, oh
Posted 09:45 PM, 04/11/2009
I guess they dont believe in spell check...what's "expansive house"
......, Oh
Posted 09:51 PM, 04/11/2009
Their bodies were found in shallow graves.
akron, oh
Posted 09:52 PM, 04/11/2009
"The couple had been married 39 years and had five children."
Such a sad family story... condolences to the remaining children and friends.
akron, oh
Posted 09:52 PM, 04/11/2009
as well as any other family members.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 09:53 PM, 04/11/2009
That would be a large roomy house.
Akron, OH
Posted 09:53 PM, 04/11/2009
"expansive house" could well be the correct term for a Hudson home. Expansive means 'grand in scale'
akron, OH
Posted 09:56 PM, 04/11/2009
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expansive
expansive
One entry found.
Main Entry: ex·pan·sive
Pronunciation: \ik-ˈspan(t)-siv\
Function: adjective
Date: 1651
1: having a capacity or a tendency to expand
2: causing or tending to cause expansion
3 a: characterized by high spirits, generosity, or readiness to talk : open
4: marked by expansion ; especially : having a great expanse or extent : sizable , extensive
5: characterized by richness, abundance, or magnificence
— ex·pan·sive·ly adverb
— ex·pan·sive·ness noun
Las Vegas , NV
Posted 09:57 PM, 04/11/2009
Actually psycho, spell check would have allowed expansive...they need to proof read instead :)
This is some crazy stuff. I am getting more and more amazed each day on the side effects of the economy tanking!
hudson, oh
Posted 11:25 PM, 04/11/2009
gildee: "another crazy white male..."
Before you start to make assumptions about this family, take a step back and realize that there is more to ANY story than meets the eye.
I understand your point about not picking up the mortgage but I am willing to bet there are many details about this situation that are yet to be revealed...
Akron, OH
Posted 11:38 PM, 04/11/2009
@psychoJ, expansive is a word so spell checker would not have caught it. Also, it is a word that has been used to describe something very large, which could be a house in Hudson.
Akron, Oh
Posted 04:21 AM, 04/12/2009
He had no reason to do this act unlike some downtrodden,urban members of society who always have an excuse. He skipped the home invasion part and went straight for the arson and double murder.
Orlando, FL
Posted 02:01 PM, 04/12/2009
Tragic to say the least...my condolences to the family.
concord, oh
Posted 06:06 PM, 04/12/2009
"Last Sunday, a massive fire ripped through their expansive [as in, LARGE] Hudson home." Duh.
pyschoj, you are wrong on two things here:
1. Expansive; is spelled correctly. Therefore, spell check wouldn't have applied here.
2. "Expansive hudson home", The writer is saying they had a large home, located in Hudson. How is that hard for you to understand?
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 08:32 AM, 04/13/2009
obviously expansive is not a word to use describing your brain. I would sooo beat you in scrabble, man.
Boston Hts., OH
Posted 10:28 AM, 04/13/2009
I knew Jim worked part-time in his company and visited their home on a number of occasions before he passed. As for the deaths I don't know what happened but I know the mother was extremely despondent and depressed and it honestly would not surprise me if this was a suicide and the son buried the bodies burned the house down out of frustration because the mother and older brother exhausted the estate by insisting on trying to keep a house they could not afford. IMO, they should have sold it after Jim died trying to maintain that monstrosity and bought something more modest.
Another example of people deluded into believing they can afford a lifestyle that they can't.
akron, oh
Posted 12:21 PM, 04/13/2009
Eugene_C - seriously? What about his brother who was also buried behind the house? Was it double suicide, a murder/suicide, or a double murder?
IMO - it is best to wait for the death reports to indicate what really happened... anything else is just speculation and somewhat pointless.
Boston Hts., OH
Posted 01:49 PM, 04/13/2009
Bear, that's why I brought it up. At this point it could have been a double suicide as a double homicide. I said I don't know what happened but it wouldn't surprise me if it were a double suicide. We should wait for the forensics.
Boston Hts., OH
Posted 02:09 PM, 04/13/2009
Also, there's a lot of very weird stuff with the story. Usually if someone is going to kill someone and burn their house, they leave the bodies in the house while it burns to destroy evidence. They don't bury them and THEN burn the house. Lot of stuff does not make sense.
