Triple Homicide in Grafton: Man Charged with Murder After Family Tragedy

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GRAFTON, NY — A quiet stretch of South Road in Grafton, NY, turned into the scene of a shocking tragedy on the evening of June 18, 2025, as State Police arrested 26-year-old Joshua M. Fowler in connection with the fatal shooting of three family members.

At approximately 6:36 p.m., Rensselaer County 911 dispatchers received a distress call from Whitney Fowler, reporting a violent altercation with her husband, Joshua Fowler, at their home at 385 South Road. During the call, dispatchers reported hearing what they believed to be gunfire.

State Troopers responded quickly, arriving on the scene around 6:50 p.m. There, they encountered Joshua Fowler outside the home, armed with a long gun. Despite multiple commands to drop the weapon, Fowler refused. Following a brief standoff, officers deployed a taser and were able to take him into custody without injury.

A search of the property revealed a grim scene. Outside the home, 27-year-old Whitney L. Fowler was found deceased. Inside, troopers discovered the bodies of Wilson P. Fowler, 55, who was Joshua’s father, and Anita L. Crandall, 69, his step-grandmother. All three had died from gunshot wounds. A fourth resident of the home was not present during the incident.

Joshua Fowler has been charged with:

• Murder in the First Degree (1 count)

• Murder in the Second Degree (3 counts)

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (1 count)

He was arraigned in Brunswick Town Court and remanded to the Rensselaer County Correctional Facility without bail.