Pasco man burned bodies of missing couple, 2 children, deputies say

A Pasco man charged with murder in connection to the disappearance of a family of four told deputies he killed the couple and burned their bodies and those of their two young children, records show.

Deputies have been searching since last week for Rain Mancini, 26; Phillip Zilliot II, 25; 6-year-old Karma Zilliot; and 5-year-old Phillip Zilliot III.

In court records that became public Monday, investigators said the family lived with Rory Atwood, 25, on a 10-acre property off Nottingham Trail in Hudson.

New details from an arrest affidavit show Atwood confirmed the identity of their remains to deputies, and said he burned them after a fight broke out at the home between himself, Phillip Zilliot II and Mancini.

The investigation began Thursday afternoon when a sister of Atwood’s friend tipped off authorities about the killings, records show.

Her brother said that Atwood called him asking for help burning trash. When he answered the video call, he saw a puddle of blood and the bodies of adults and children, the affidavit states.

Deputies made a wellness check at the property but found nothing suspicious. One deputy noticed a fire, still smoldering and smoking.

The next day, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office received a second call, this time from Atwood’s high school friend. He told deputies Atwood had “admitted to killing his roommates and their children,” court records state.

Friday afternoon, deputies returned to Atwood’s property with a cadaver dog. The dog dug through the fire pit, and retrieved small skeletal remains.

In a follow-up interviews with detectives, Atwood gave conflicting accounts of the killings. He said deputies might find horse bones on his property and asked how quickly human flesh would decompose.

Atwood told authorities he evicted the family on June 1 after they stopped paying rent. They dropped by the home unannounced Wednesday night and stayed for a few hours to collect their belongings from the property, he said.

Mancini told him she was going to stay at a women’s shelter with their children and Zilliot said he was going to stay in a tent at a nearby park, according to Atwood.

Others who were there Wednesday night told deputies that Mancini and Zilliot were drinking with Atwood at the home. Their children were there, as was a friend of Mancini and Atwood’s 4-year-old daughter.

The girl told detectives she saw Mancini arguing at her father’s home.

Atwood told detectives on Saturday that Zilliot and Mancini entered his bedroom armed with knives. Atwood said he disarmed Zilliot, who punched him in the head during the scuffle. Atwood tossed the knife out of the bedroom and saw Mancini holding a knife to Atwood’s daughter, he said.

Atwood told deputies that a handgun suddenly appeared in the room and Zilliot grabbed it. They struggled for the gun and Atwood fired two shots into Zilliot’s head, he told investigators. Atwood said Mancini was also shot multiple times in the torso and head.

Detectives said Atwood did not say how the two children died, but that he suspected Zilliot and Macini killed them.

Surging with adrenaline, Atwood dragged the adult bodies from living room, out the front door and into the fire pit, which he said had already been lit, he told detectives.

Atwood also discarded the gun into the fire pit and burned his couch to destroy evidence of bloodstains from the killings, he said. Atwood said he didn’t remember cleaning inside his home, but if he did then he would have also tossed the towels and cleaning supplies into the fire.

Deputies photographed Atwood and found that he didn’t have any injuries consistent with a physical altercation.

Investigators believe Atwood is to blame for the deaths of the adults, though the case remains under investigation as to whether he killed the children, too..

“The defendant burned the two victims and evidence within the fire pit and repeatedly lied to patrol deputies and detectives,” the affidavit states.

Atwood faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with the case. He pleaded not guilty during his first appearance at a Pasco County courthouse Monday.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office asked anyone with information about what happened to call the agency at 727-847-8102, option 7, or report tips at PascoSheriff.com/tips.