Have you ever imagined what it would be like to find out that someone was living in your house without telling you? In 1986, the Bowen family found Daniel LaPlante hiding in their walls and that was the scary truth. We’re going to look into this shocking true crime story from Lifetime’s Phrogging: Hider in My House to find out more about LaPlante’s crimes and where he is now. This case isn’t just about a scary intruder; it’s a scary story of obsession, fear and tragedy that ended with the brutal murders of Priscilla Gustafson and her two children.
Who Is Daniel LaPlante?
Daniel LaPlante was born in Townsend, Massachusetts, in May 1970. His early years were not easy at all. He had dyslexia, which made school hard for him. His classmates bullied him because of his bad hygiene and strange behaviour, calling him “creepy” and “weird.” Dark Downeast’s reports say that he went through a lot of trauma, including sexual and mental abuse from his father, stepfather and even a psychiatrist. These problems don’t make his actions right, but they do show that he was a troubled teenager whose behaviour got worse and worse.
When LaPlante turned 16, things got bad for him. He became obsessed with Tina Bowen, a 16-year-old from Pepperell, Massachusetts, who was sad because her mother had just died of cancer. LaPlante got in touch with Tina and said he lived nearby and got her number from friends they had in common. He talked her into going on a date after a few phone calls. But when they met, Tina was put off by how he looked and acted, especially how he kept asking her about her mother’s death. She ended the date early, not knowing that LaPlante’s obsession was about to get much worse in scary ways.
The Bowen Family’s Nightmare
Tina and her sister tried to hold a séance not long after their date. They wanted to talk to their dead mother. They were shocked when they heard knocking sounds on the walls in response to their questions. They really thought they were talking to a ghost. Daniel was actually making the noises. He had broken into their house and was hiding behind the walls, spying on them, and playing creepy tricks.
In the weeks that followed, strange things started to happen in the Bowen house. Things like furniture moving, TVs turning on by themselves, and food disappearing without a trace. After that, threatening messages started to show up on the walls of the basement, written in what looked like blood. Frank Bowen, Tina’s father, still thought the girls were just acting out because they were sad.
But by January 1987, things escalated dramatically. One night, while the girls had a friend over, they became terrified by more unexplained activity. They ran to a neighbour’s house to call their father. When Frank arrived, he found the house in chaos—furniture overturned, items missing, and signs of someone recently using the bathroom.
Upon further investigation, Frank discovered Daniel LaPlante hiding in his deceased wife’s closet, dressed in a bizarre costume and holding a hatchet. Daniel took the family hostage, but Tina managed to escape and call the police. Although Daniel fled before police arrived, they later captured him hiding in a crawl space behind a wall. It was then confirmed that he had been secretly living inside their house for several months.
The Murders of the Gustafson Family
LaPlante was arrested and held at a juvenile facility. However, in October 1987, he was released on bail. Just two months later, he committed one of the most brutal crimes in Massachusetts history.
On December 1, 1987, Daniel broke into the home of the Gustafson family, just a few miles from his own house. Inside was Priscilla Gustafson, a 33-year-old pregnant nursery school teacher, and her two children—William (5) and Abigail (7). Daniel raped and shot Priscilla in her bedroom. Then, he drowned both of her children in separate bathtubs.
Initially, police questioned Daniel but had to release him due to lack of evidence. However, when authorities returned later that day for further questioning, he fled—confirming their suspicions. While on the run, he stole a van, briefly took a woman hostage, and even threatened a lumberyard worker with a firearm. Thankfully, he was arrested shortly afterward.
Investigators soon uncovered solid evidence linking Daniel to the triple homicide. He was charged with all three murders and tried as an adult, despite being only 17 at the time.
Daniel LaPlante’s Trial and Sentencing
In 1988, Daniel LaPlante was found guilty of the first-degree murders of Priscilla, William, and Abigail Gustafson. According to Boston News, the court sentenced him to three consecutive life sentences without parole.
However, due to changes in Massachusetts law and U.S. Supreme Court rulings about juvenile sentencing, Daniel became eligible for resentencing. In 2017, his legal team filed for a sentence reduction, arguing that juveniles should have a chance at rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into society.
But the judge in his resentencing hearing rejected the appeal, stating that LaPlante had not shown any genuine remorse and that the sheer brutality of his crimes made him unfit for early release. The court upheld the original decision, ruling that he would only be eligible for parole after 45 years, which would be in 2032.
Where is Daniel LaPlante now?
As of 2025, Daniel LaPlante is 54 years old and remains incarcerated at Massachusetts Correctional Institution–Norfolk, a medium-security prison. He has been behind bars for over 37 years, and unless parole is granted in 2032, he may spend the rest of his life in prison.
Given the nature of his crimes, it’s unlikely that parole will be approved, especially with the strong objections from the victims’ families and the wider public. His actions are still remembered as some of the most horrific in the state’s criminal history.
For those interested in true-crime cases and psychological profiles of killers, Spiky TV provides in-depth coverage and breakdowns of similar chilling stories.
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