QUINCY, Pa.—The father of one of three people shot to death in rural south-central Pennsylvania says his son received threatening text messages from the suspect.

Vince Santucci said Monday that he encouraged his son Vince Jr., who is known as Luke, to contact police. But Santucci says state police told his son they couldn't do anything.

Santucci says the texts were sent over the past month by Kevin Mathew Cleeves, who's charged with the slayings.

Santucci says police action might have prevented the Friday night shooting that also killed Luke's mother Linda Holma and Cleeves' estranged wife Brandi Cleeves.

Police say Kevin Cleeves fled with his 4-year-old daughter after the shooting and was captured in Ohio. He waived extradition Monday.