Cops: NY man kills wife, daughter, self

A man strangled his wife and teenage daughter, then killed himself, police said Monday.

Authorities found the bodies at the family's home after relatives who could not reach them called authorities, state police said. The killings apparently happened late Thursday or early Friday.

Steven Lessard worked at the Indian Point nuclear power plants in Buchanan, according to a spokesman for Entergy Corp. His wife, Kathy Lessard, and their 14-year-old daughter, Linda Lessard, had been strangled, police said.

Linda Lessard had been absent from school for a few weeks, classmate Greg Doty said.

Neighbors said they had noticed nothing unusual.

"He was like a normal next-door neighbor," Ronnie Baclija said.

State police didn't immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press seeking information on how Steven Lessard died.

Lake Peekskill is about 40 miles north of New York City.