Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised. This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some readers discretion advised.

The Todt family murders was a multiple homicide case that occurred in December 2019 in Disney’s planned community of Celebration, Florida. Anthony “Tony” Todt, age 44, confessed to the murders of his wife, 42-year-old Megan Todt, and their three children:

Alek, age 13; Tyler, age 11; and Zoe, age 4. Anthony was a physical therapist who had recently been served a federal warrant for health care fraud charges stemming from his physical therapy business. Authorities coming to issue the warrant found the man living in his house with the badly decomposed bodies of his entire family, including the family dog. In 2022, Anthony Todt was convicted of the murders and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.An additional year was added for the killing of the pet dog, deemed an act of animal cruelty.

the bizarre case of Anthony Todt, a physical therapist who was found mentally unstable in his Florida home near Disney World with his entire family dead. The father of three would claim innocence ahead of trial after confessing to killing his wife, three children, and family dog during a police interrogation. Did Anthony Todt kill his family?

A federal investigation leads to a sickening discovery. But  details emerge , the case gets complicated. 

When  federal agents attemt to make a routin arrest ,they ended  up finding something that is truly unthinkable.

It´s just after christmas  2019 in Celebratiion Florida, Anthony Todt,his wife Megan

along with their three children.  13 year old  alec,11 year old   Tyler and  four- year -old  Zoe haven´t been heard from in weeks.

Something  to know about Anthony Todt leading up to thois disconnect, the pysical therapist was  actuallly under surveillance by Federal authoris

What is  he wanted for ?

Agt. O´Neal : Helathcare fraud ,could be over -billing or … billing for service not rended.basically , fraid against medical or medicaid.

 

it seemed  pretty clear that  he was in a very bad  financial  situation ,he was trying to arrange it so  children and wife would  have a lot of enjoyment,

they moved 15 minutes away from Disney world

he spent a lot of money on a condominium ,when that started to unravel, he knew he would be viewed as a failure. He was  losing control of his life,losing control financially 

Agt. O´Neal : so the plan wsa we were gonna do some surveillance,get some info , take our photos ,see if we could find any information about where this family was.

In January 2020 armed with an arrest  warrant, deputies moved in on todt.

 

They knocked   , no one came  to the door.doorwas  unlocked, so the  FBI:s officer´s popped it open.

Agt .O´Neil: we slowly made our way in.he was  at the top of the stairs. we asked him where megan and the children were.he said , uh… megan was upstairs sleeping and he also , like , called for her. we were getting no answer. 

 

Agt .O´Neil: we made our way upstairs…to check on the children and check on megan. the master bedroom door was open.

What officer´s find  next is unimaginable.

Megan,  Alec, tyler,zoe and  the family dog Breezy are all  found dead, decomposing a uppstairs bedroom

the children were   drugged  with benadryl and then the   brutal stabbings.

What begins as  a fraud case suddenly turns into a horrifying homicide investigation

He lived with the bodies in the condominium for about three weeks, during that time , according to the police the smell of decomposition  was extremely pronounced .

Todt is then taken to the hospital after he appears disoriented and uinstable, in fasct , he said that he consumed a  quantity of Benadryl pills

He talked about how she started to adapt Eastern religions  she started  getting involved in other almost like fantastical beliefs like medical mediums  and stuff.

The confession ,well it was a confession,there  was a tremendous level of explanation going  on

Todt: Between megan and i , we…suffocated and , uh …and  um , tried to get the aortic valve, whis h is deep.and we wanted  to both go very…uh, everybody to go very peacefully, we  wanted everybody together.and that was my wife´s wish.everybody toghether.

He would say that was a essentially  all   a dream  that  he didn´t remember  any of that, he didn´t remember any  of that ,he was in some  type  zombie state, he was looking  to  blame  the drugs for his confession .

 

Det . Miller: : you murdered your three children.

 Todt: Mhmm. i know.

Det. Miller : you take full  responsibility for that?

Todt:megan was involved but i´ll take full responsiblity 

 det. Miller : well  megan´s dead.

 

 But ! is Anthony Todt  the one responsible for this?

Detective: what are you most upset about ?

Todt: that i´m here. that  i´m not  wit my family.

 

In january 2020 federal authorities show up to   arrest a connecticut man living part -time in Florida with his family ,over an alleged insurance scam .

But their investigation leads to a revolting discovery  in the family´s rental home. the decomposing  bodies of todt´s  wife , their  three young children and the family dog .

Investigators now need to make sense of what exactly happened in that house.

When todt is brought in for questioning a few days later  he shares even more specifics about the killings .

Todt: my wife  watching these videos , talking abouit the afterlife, we started researching  and  researching  and then  we started  finding more…. about the world is coming to the end. the  apocalyptic end. to avoid this to all go together .

detective: die together?

 Todt: die together ,that´s correct. because my wife´s  been chrooniclally ill for a while, this really apppealed to her .it´d mean salvation and everlasting life.

Dave Aronberg/state attorney ,palm beach, CNTY.: this was a guy who had perhaps  some delusions but not enough to make him not understand the difference between right  and wrong.

 

Todt: we had sat down and talked with the boys and zoe just on…you know , what would happen if mommy died?.you know , how would  you feel .what…..and what  if daddy died ?, what would you feel? and your consistent responses was that we sdon´t want you to die. we wanna die  with you.

According to the police, anthony used a variaty of methods, the benadryl.cough medicine.

 Todt: something came on TV about cough medicine.so   ,could they have som cough medicine thatll put them to sleep?they could  overdose of cough medicine, just put them to sleep. didn´t work. and we said , we just gonna have to … do some sort of exsanguination . bleed to death.

First, todt goes  into  detail about killing  four-year -old Zoe.

Todt she rolled…and then started squiggling and i put my hands over  her mouth  and i put a pillow over top .  she started to  …fade away.and i just helt that until there was no motion left.

 

It´s    one thing to kind of mumble and answer like “oh  , i killed somebody ” it´something else to give a very detailed explanation of every single homicide  that  occured.

Det.  miller: so zoe´s gone. and then what  happens?

todt:we  go into alec´s room. we´re just in theter ,just eyeing each other.just gaining the  confidence. i stabed him. and he started  kicking was trying to get up  and i  reached  around my hand and then held his , um…nose  and his mouth.

Tyler

When it came to 11  year old tyler, todt says he and megan were afraid  their son would   escape.

Todt : i was  able to get in and….get the knife right in there.i got  a, i got it. it started  bleeding quite a bit.he went really ,really ,really quick. we desided that , you know , the dog …  we wanted   the dog with us. and i was  able to hold the .. .the…um, nose closed. and she went peacfully.

Todt then says , megan wanted to die next.

Todt:  meg wanted to go.gave her the knife and i laid next to her and she put the knife into her stomach,we were laying  there about 45 minutes, after she stabbed herself. she says ” i feel nothing happening. so she decided to  go through her liver.

Dave Aronberg/state attorney ,palm beach, CNTY.:she was stabbed with deep knife wounds  multiple times .

 

Todt:  with two hands , pushed in. she pulled it out she put the knife right next to her . and i just laid with her.it seemed like hours went by of nothing else  happening. she goes ”  i want  this to ened now” she goes ”   i want  you to take the pillowcase , put it .. put a pillow and put  it over my head ” she goes ” if you love me  you can do this. i want to be with my babies.” so i said…. why don´t you take some more benadryl so at least you´re not gonna fight me. and i´ll do it .”  so then it , it came to me.

Dr Todd grande /mental health counselor:he was pretty efficient at killing them all. that´s what he wanted to achieve and  he did in a pretty straightforward fashioin but when he talked about ending his own life ,he couldn´t  figure out how to do it .

 

 

 Det. miller: we didn´t get there till … monday.what were you doing  during this  timeframe? we´re talking over two weeks.

Todt: i trying to kill myself.i tried the  razorblades, zip  tie around the  neck.was trying to figure out how to go through …and fall on the knife on  the right direction.in all honesty, i chickened oiut in carrying it out  with  the knife.

Dr Todd grande /mental health counselor

Dr Todd grande: so we see kind of a disconnect there. between the methods that are  used that were successful and these alleged methods that he used that was not succesful.

Det. miller : you´ve upset a lot of people, you guys seem very planned ,this is very methodical  there was….i mean other than the fact about you taking your own life, um..which i … i´m still kind of questioning

Dr Todd grande:i think the reason anthony Todt initially confessed is because that´s really where he was in life at that point .i think  he had abandon all  hope.

Det.Miller: you take full…

Todt:i take full responsibility. i want this done.

Det. Miller: okay.

 Todt: if i could commit suicide right noiw , i would.

 Det. Miller: okej, well , we´re not gonna let you  do that.

Todt is charged with the murders of  his family and animal cruelty for allegedly killing the dog .

 But nothing is  as simple as it may seem.

What anthony Todt  previously told investigators my not be the real story.

Det.Miller: did you guys celebrate christmas day?

 Todt: no.no, the kids were dead before christmas.

Connecticut man Anthony Todt is charged with the murder of his family.after they were found  dead and decomposing in their Celebration Florida home in january 2020

from the start of the  investigation Todt seemed fully cooperating and telling  officials  everything that happened .

Det.Miller: how long woulds you say it took to….kill alec?

 Todt:  that one i have no idea, it did , it went quickly

But later on Todt speaks with his sister from  jail on  recorded calls his acount is radically diffrent.

Todt: i want you to know a couple  things ,that i  absolutely loved ,honored , and obeyed megan through everything.”cause  a lot of things will come out …i  can´t talk about i them right now. realize that ,okay?

 Dr  Todd grand: anthony Todt confession  i think really hurt him ,he  tried  to work to back away from it . pretty soon after  he  made it .

Todt:  i  don´remember anything….pretty uch over christmas… and the first week i got  here. i dont´t remember coming here.i don´t remember anything….after the events, what  happened… i have no idea…where i was ,where i am. the only thing i remember is being at the hospital

He´s claim was   that he was kind of out of it ,he had hit his head  ,he didn´t know what  he was doing ,he didn´t remember the confession.

Todt tells  his sister,he wasn´t even home the night his family was killed.that he was actually  at  their nearby condo.

Todt: the night everything happened…okay, i´m gonna tell you this um, i went over because… zoe wanted her mickey , silver necklace. for  reasons ,uh , you´ll find out later.i ended up falling a sleep.let´s just leave it at that . okay?i fell asleep for… i was supposed to wake up at 11-11:30 didn´t wake up till the next morning.i have  no idea…what i told  investigators.

 

Dave Aronberg/ state attorney: he supposedly came home to his  dead children and  his wife  was trying to commit suicide

 

Todt: i miss megan and the kids.i can´t believe s he did this.

 Dr  Todd grand:when investigators  first looked into the case, they believed  100 procent that he was guilty  but ofcourse they had to investgate all aspects one of those was that  megan had killed their three children and then had  discussion with him, hurt herself and then killed herself with a knife  so that leaves  this  posibility that megan was the killer and committed  suicide.

Todt: love is blind. …when things happen….that you´re not expecting

chrissy/ todt´s sister:  this aren´t things that  we should talk about now.

 todt: i have nothing to hide .so..just know…that  i´ll protect megan´s dignity until the very end.

 Dr  Todd grand: He´s narrative was that she essentially lost her mind  and he was trying  to support her during that time and he still wanted to protect her even in death he wanted to defend her reputation  It´s pretty unsual for a mother to kill  her children  it dooes  happen and there have been  really  famous notorious cases where  it´s   happened.

 COMING UP  – HWO  reallly killed megan, alec , tyler, zoe and breezy .

After authorities find the dead bodies of anthony  todt´s wife megan , three children, alec, tyler and zoe and family dog breezy in their Florida home  .The former physical therapist is arrested and charged with murder  and animal cruelty.

Todt would initially confess to the killings ,but then in recorded jailhouse phone calls with his sister ,he claimed he wasn´t  the killer ,but rather it was  megan .

In April  of 2022,it would be up to a jury to sort out  the truth as  anthony todt´s criminal trial  began.

Todt´s  defense presented one sole witnesss , anthony  todt himself.

Todt:my testimony today is the fact that  megan killed her  kids and killed  herself.

But was  the jury  convinced after  deliberating for just  over six hours they returned their vedict.

State of florida versus anthony john todt, we the jury find the defend guilty oif first -degree murder as charged in the indictment , we the jury find the defendant guilty of cruelty to animals”

Anthony todt was convicted  across the board.

They could have made an okey argument  that it was possible  that megan was the killer but there was no way to get around that  confession,no matter what they said when that cibfession came in that was the end of it.

The whole  defense is undermined by the fact that he stayed with the dead bodies, this guy had the means motive and opportunity, he was desperate financially  he was acting irrationally and he commited this horrific  crime and then tried to cover it up

Just before  todt is sentenced he adresses the  court one last time.

Todt: this was a personal catastrophe in everybodys life in my family .including myself.i maintain my innoicence , i love my wife, i love my children , i was not there when my children died . i´m sorry , i did not do this .

Dave Aronberg/ state attorney: I  think it speaks to that whole kind of pressured speech wibe that  anthony gives off,he demands  that people listen to him , he can´t comprehend that they wouldn´t believe his  lies, you k ow ,maybe it´s  just   his  last  chance to getting attention

Dave Aronberg/ state attorney: to profess as innocent until the end it just adds  insult  yo injury .here´s a guy who believes  his own lies or it´s just a  such  a megalomaniac that   thinks he could talk his way out of it

Judge:”  a jury has unanimously determined after listening to the evidence presented that you anthony  john todt are a  destroyer of  worlds ,your sentenced to life in prison without  the possibility of parole .

Dave Aronberg/ state attorney:  This is a way of  exerting what little controll he had left in the world , that´s why the judge said “you´re a destroyer of worlds” that´s was the only power he had left.  to destroy others worlds  and he did ,but now he´s got to pay the  price.

The  anthony todt case presented a lot o f  questions in terms  of how these  heinous crimes were committed and when and where , but looking back on all of the conflicting statements   we never really got an answer as to the ” why” . and unfortunately that  is a question may never be answered

More details

Autopsy reports on family killed by Anthony Todt in Celebration released

 Wednesday, April 8, 2020

The Medical Examiner’s Office released final autopsy reports on the Todt family victims in Celebration, and all died by “homicidal violence of unspecified means in association with diphenhydramine toxicity.”

Benadryl is a brand name for diphenhydramine, an antihistamine.

Anthony Todt, 45, was charged in January with killing his wife Megan Todt, 42, two sons, Aleksander Todt, 13, Tyler Todt, 11 and 4-year-old daughter daughter, Zoe Todt.

On Jan. 13, the bodies of the woman and the couple’s three children were discovered decomposing inside the Reserve Place home in the Celebration’s North Village when Osceola County Sheriff’s Office deputies were conducting a wellbeing check.

The Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office is seeking the death penalty.

According to the Office of the Medical Office District Nine autopsy report, all four victims died by “homicidal violence of unspecified means in association with diphenhydramine toxicity.”

Megan had two stab wounds to the abdomen, each at least 8 inches deep. Two knives had been brought the Medical Examiner’s Office by law enforcement. Both had double-edged blades and were labled “BUCK USA” and had dried blood on them.

The “stab wounds most likely occurred antemortem or perimortem,” the report stated.

Antemortem injuries are those injuries a body has received before death. Perimortem is at or near the time of death.

She and her children also overdosed on Benadryl, according to the report.

Aleksander had a stab wound to the left abdomen that was 4.5 inches deep, which injured one of his ribs.

Tyler had a stab wound to his upper abdomen that was 3.5 inches deep that injured his large intestine, according to the report.

Zoe had no trauma on her body.

“Diphenhydramine has a sedating effect on the body, especially on a young child,” wrote Jennifer Nara, associate medical examiner.

An overdose of Benadryl may cause loss of consciousness, according to www.everydayhealth.com

Anthony Todt has confessed to killing his family near the end of December. He also killed the family dog, Breezy. He was arrested on four charges of homicide and one charge of felony animal cruelty.

On Dec. 29, the Sheriff’s Office received a request to check on the family’s well being from an out-of-state relative of Anthony Todt.

He said deputies did not get a response after knocking on the door, but that they checked out the outside of the home and did not see anything suspicious.

On Jan. 9, the Sheriff’s Office officials were  contacted by federal agents regarding an investigation into Anthony Todt, and deputies made several more unsuccessful attempts to contact someone in the home, Gibson said.

Anthony Todt was taken into custody as a suspect the same day.

Deputies were helping federal agents from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which has been investigating Todt for alleged health-care fraud at his physical therapy business in Connecticut, the Hartford Courant reported.

Todt was accused of fraudulently billing tens of thousands of dollars worth of bogus therapy appointments, the Connecticut newspaper reported.

Court records associated with 202 Reserve Place indicate that Anthony and Megan Todt began renting the home in May.

The property owner filed paperwork to evict the family on Dec. 22, after the $4,921 rent went unpaid on Dec. 1, according to public records on the website for the Osceola County Clerk of the Court.

The eviction complaint shows that the property owners also were seeking $9,842 in “liquidated damages” from the Todts, which is a payment charged to a party that breaches a legal contract.

Anthony Todt is currently in the Osceola County Jail on no bond.

Toys and other items are found in front of the Celebration home where the Todt family victims were found. PHOTO/FACEBOOK