Dad Accused Of Slaughtering Family In Disney World-Adjacent Community Faces Death Penalty

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for a man indicted on four counts of first-degree murder in the slayings of his wife and three children at their Florida home near Walt Disney World.

State Attorney Aramis Ayala announced during a news conference Tuesday that an Osceola County grand jury had formally charged Anthony Todt, 44, with the four murder counts, plus one count of animal cruelty. Prosecutors had previously charged Todt with second-degree murder to keep him in custody until a grand jury could be convened. Florida law requires a grand jury indictment for capital crimes.

Todt was arrested last month after his wife Megan and their children, Alek, Tyler and Zoe, were found dead at the Celebration home. An autopsy found that the wife and sons had been stabbed. The family’s dog was also killed. Officials believe they had been dead since late December.

The bodies were found when federal agents and deputies went to the house to serve an arrest warrant. Todt was already being investigated by the FBI and agents with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for health care fraud, according to court documents unsealed earlier this month in Connecticut federal court.

Authorities say he needed the money to pay off personal loans. Online records in New York state court showed Todt and his Colchester, Connecticut-based clinics were facing debts.

According to agents, Todt and the clinics submitted claims to Medicaid and private insurers for physical therapy services that weren’t given to patients.