( CNN ) -- A man who shot his wife and three children to death before committing suicide in Middletown , Maryland , last weekend had about $ 460,000 in mortgage and credit card debt , the local sheriff said Tuesday . Five people , including three young children , were found dead in this house in Middletown , Maryland . Deputies who examined a computer taken from Christopher Wood 's home found information that showed `` severe financial difficulties , '' including money owed on a home in Florida that the family had been unable to sell , Frederick County Sheriff Charles Jenkins said at a news conference . Wood was a salesman for CSX Railroad , where he earned about $ 97,000 a year , the sheriff said . He left six suicide notes , according to authorities . Jenkins said the medical examiner had determined that Christopher Wood , 34 , shot himself with a shotgun Friday after shooting his wife , Francie Billotti-Wood , and their three young children -- Chandler , 5 ; Gavin , 4 ; and Fiona , 2 -- with a small-caliber pistol . `` Traumatic lacerations '' found on the bodies were made after their deaths , with either a kitchen knife or a pruning saw , the sheriff said , quoting the medical examiner . Both items were found in the house . `` The injuries were very horrific , '' the sheriff said . The wife and children apparently were killed while they slept Thursday night into Friday , Jenkins said . Authorities found a shotgun next to Christopher Wood 's body and a .25-caliber handgun in a container in the kitchen . Sheriff 's Office Cpl . Jennifer Bailey said Tuesday it was not yet known whether the handgun found was used in the killings . The federal Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives agency was trying to trace the ownership of the pistol and shotgun . Authorities said Wood left individual suicide notes to his wife and each of the three children , expressing his sorrow and love . There was one note left to his mother , father and sister , and one more that was not addressed to anyone in particular but that was more apologetic than the others . In his sixth note , Wood described his `` day-to-day stresses , '' Bailey said . `` That one talks about financial problems , how he was going to raise his family , stresses , how he tried a number of medications to control his depression , but felt he had gotten worse over time , '' Bailey said . Jenkins said several medications were found in the house , including some used to treat depression and anxiety . Bailey said deputies went to the house shortly after 9 a.m. Saturday , after Francie Billotti-Wood 's father found the bodies . Her father , concerned because he had not seen members of the family for about a day , had gone to the house and forced his way in when no one answered the door . Jenkins said the sheriff 's office had no record of domestic violence or other family disputes at the Woods ' home . He said the results of toxicology tests wo n't be available for a few weeks .
NEW : Christopher family was $ 460,000 in debt , sheriff says . NE : Family was unable to leave Florida home , computer reveals . NE : Man apparently killed his wife and three young children , then killed himself .