Dad Penned Apology Before Killing Family

An Iowa man left a note in his kitchen and voice mail messages for friends and ex-colleagues apologizing before killing his wife and four young children, the Chicago Tribune reports. Steven Sueppel then killed himself in a fiery highway crash. The former bank executive was facing trial on embezzlement charges, and had admitted using half of the cash for cocaine. His messages said the shame was too much to bear.

"The statements went toward the children and wife being in a better place," said a police sergeant. Police believe Sueppel's wife and adopted children were beaten to death with baseball bats found in the home. After he killed his family, Sueppel failed in a first suicide attempt to drown himself in a river, then drove to a nearby highway and rammed into a concrete support, according to cops. (More embezzlement stories.)