Were The Signs There? Son On "Wife Swap" Kills Mom, Brother; Tries To Commit Suicide...Now He's In The Hospital

Timothy and Kathryn Stockdale thought homeschooling their children and raising them in a strict, religious household would keep them out of trouble. What they didn't know was that there was something sinister brewing right under their roof.

The Stockdale family appeared on "Wife Swap" back in 2008 where 54-year-old Kathryn left her conservative home and switched places with the more lax Laurie Tonkovic. The new temporary mom wanted to give the kids some time to just go out and enjoy themselves, but this just ended up terrifying them, especially young Jacob.

"When I switched the rules and I was going to let them have fun, let them have a television and video games, and experience life a little bit, [Jacob] ran outside crying," Laurie said. "And when I went out after him, I asked him what was wrong, and he said that his mom and dad would tell him that he would 'burn in hell.'"

The boys were completely controlled by their parents, from everything to what they watched, what they listened to, and what they did for activities. They couldn't watch television or play video games, and they weren't allowed to date or really interact with girls their ages at all. 

No one really gave another thought to the Stockdale family's "Wife Swap" episode, that is until recently when they once again made headlines. Jacob, now 25, shot his mother twice in the head and left her body in an upstairs bathroom. He then shot his 21-year-old brother James in the head. His body was found on the front porch. Jacob shot himself in the face with the shotgun and unbelievably survived. He's currently in a hospital in critical condition.

Timothy wasn't home during the murder and returned to find that he couldn't access his property because it was swarmed with police. Investigators aren't saying what Jacob's motive was, but there are plenty of people who knew him that think that his family's devoutly religious rules may have bordered on being oppressive. The family did everything together, including playing being in a band, but that lifestyle doesn't work for everyone. 

The family even had their own website, which has since been removed after the murders, where Jacob was described as being a fiddle prodigy who has been playing the violin since he was seven-years-old.

"Wife Swap" mom Laurie says she believes Jacob freaked out and lost his mind because of the overwhelming, controlling environment he lived in as a young adult.

“God says that he gives you free will, (which was something) they didn’t have," Laurie explained. "They weren’t allowed to make choices. I just think that it caught up to him.”