The father of Newtown school shooter Adam Lanza claimed his son’s body from a Connecticut morgue late last week for an undisclosed burial.
Peter Lanza, the 20-year-old gunman’s father, claimed the body on Thursday, Errol Cockfield, a family spokesman, confirmed on Monday. The family declined to say where or when Adam Lanza would be buried, according to
CNN.
Peter Lanza had been divorced from Nancy Lanza when her son shot her to death as she slept on Dec. 14 before taking two of her handguns and an assault rifle to the Sandy Hook Elementary School where he killed 26 more people, 20 of them children. He then killed himself.
A funeral for Nancy Lanza was held a few days later.
Initial news reports, corrected later on the day of the shooting, said Peter Lanza had been found shot to death.
Peter Lanza released a statement follow the shootings, saying his family was "grieving along with all those who have been affected by this enormous tragedy."
"Our hearts go out to the families and friends who lost loved ones and to all those who were injured," the statement said. "We are in a state of disbelief and trying to find whatever answers we can. We, too, are asking why."
When Adam Lanza's body was first retrieved, it wasn't clear who had claimed it. The Connecticut chief medical examiner’s office declined to comment on the identity of the person, according to
The New York Times.
Investigators have released few details regarding Adam Lanza, a reclusive and quiet young man. There still has yet to be a motive established in the case, although it was confirmed that he had attended Sandy Hook Elementary when he was much younger.
A relative told investigators that he suffered from a mild form of autism but this has yet to be confirmed.
Geneticists at the University of Connecticut have plans to study Adam Lanza's DNA to try to gain some insight into what drove him to the shootings.
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