Florida Community Tries To Fathom Horrific Slaying Of Children

Police  say Julie Powers Schenecker was a devoted mother who brutally murdered her two children  because they mouthed off  to her . But why ? That is the question on many minds today  as people try to come to grips with a horrific crime and the reason behind it . "She seemed like a very well-adjusted person ... she spent years in  the military [and] as the wife of a career officer," friend Jan  Graham said.

Schenecker ,50, of suburban Tampa ,  Florida  , was arrested Friday and charged with two counts  of first-degree murder in the deaths  of her son , Beau , and her daughter , Calyx , 16 , Tampa police said she confessed to the killings. According to the arrest affidavit , Schenecker used a recently purchased .38-caliber pistol to shoot Beau twice in the head when they were on their way back from  his soccer practice . Afterward , the affidavit said , she returned home and shot Calyx  in the face as the girl sat in front of her computer studying .

Authorities believe the slaying occurred Thursday . Investigators were  not called to the scene until Friday morning  , when they received a called from Schenecker's mother, who said she was concerned because she could  not reach her daughter, who she believed was depressed .

"When officers arrived at the family home at 7:45 a.m. , they found the supect on the back porch with blood on her clothing," Tampa spokeswoman Laura McElroy said in a statement . "Officers found {Beau]  shot to death in a SUV in the garage . They discovered Calyx, shot to dealth in an upstairs  bedroom." According to McElroy.

 Schenecker  freely spoke to police about the killings . "During a post- Miranda interview with detectives , the suspect  confessed to killing her two children ," McElroy said . "She decribed the crimes in detail." Schenecker allegedly told police she had purchased the gun five days before the deaths and had planned on killing the children  and then herself  because she was tired of them mouthing off."

Schenecker's husband  , Col. Parker Schenecker , was not at home  . A U.S. Arrmy  intelligence officer , he was on assignment in the  Middle East when the shooting  occured , police said . Schenecker missed two scheduled court appearences  over the weekend  because of an illness , Authorites have declined to comment on her condition, citing medical privacy laws . She was reportedly shaking uncontrollably when police took her into custody  and remains on suicide watch today.

This afternoon , Schenecker  appeared  in court via a video link from county jail . She wept during  the two-minute proceeding , she was not required to enter a plea , Judge Walter Heinrich  ordered  her held without bond . Her next court date  has not been set , because the case remains open. Prosecutors  declined  to comment on it. .

Those who knew the family  are stunned by the slaying  and say there  were no outward  signs  that anything was wrong . Authorities are also stumped  and have indicated that Schenecker  has no prior criminal history aside from a traffic ticket .

In the 1980's , Schenecker joined the U.S. Army and worked as a linguist in Munich , Germany . She also coached  the officers' voleyball  team . It was while stationed  in Germany  , that Schenecker met  and fell in love with Parker , a successful career military man . The two married  and shortly thereafter  had  their two children , Calyx was born in Germany  on September  12, 1994 . Beau was born in Honolulu on September 29, 1997 .  The family traveled around the country , living in many places , including Arizona , Hawaii and Virginia , before settling in Florida  in  2008 . Schenecker did not re-enlist, instead became a stay-at-home mom .Calyx attended King High School in Tampa . There the 10th grade student was in the Pre-International Baccalaureate program and excelled on the cross country team ."Calyx was a great kid , the kind you would want to clone ,"Prinicipal  Carla Bruning said . Beau attended nearby Liberty Middle School . The eighth-grader  enjoyed video games and soccer  . Beau was amazing , he was random and funny , and always in a cheerful mood," a friend posted on a memorial Facebook page.

A record released  on Monday  indicates Schenecker was investigated in  November after she was accused of child abuse , the AP reported . Calyx allegedly told officers that her mother had hit her several times . According to the St. Peterburg Times. The Florida Department of Children and families looked into the allegeations but determined they were unfounded...updates as they become available.