Reginald Maclaren, 81, was formally charged by the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office after allegedly killing his wife and adult daughter with an ax to prevent them from becoming homeless.

Maclaren was charged on April 3 on two counts of murder in the first degree, two counts of tampering with a deceased human body and one count of false reporting to authorities.

On March 25, the Englewood Police Department arrested Maclaren.

According to his arrest affidavit, Maclaren allegedly admitted to killing his wife, Bethany Maclaren, 70, and daughter, Ruth Maclaren, 35, because his family was running out of money and would not be able to afford their home anymore.

Maclaren went to the emergency department at Swedish Medical Center on the evening of March 25, where he waived his Miranda Rights and shared information with the police, documents say.

In this interview with detectives, Maclaren allegedly said his family would have had to vacate their apartment on March 25, and they had nowhere to live afterwards because they had no money, documents say.

He was allegedly previously employed at Hospital Shared Services and worked frequently with the homeless population. According to authorities, he said being homeless was a miserable life.

Maclaren allegedly began planning to kill his family approximately 10 days before the day of the murders, according to police documents. Investigators say he bought an ax, two large trash cans and a hand saw at Home Depot and stored these items in his apartment.

At approximately 6:03 p.m. on March 25, police say they received a call from Maclaren stating that he thought his wife and daughter had been killed with a hammer and that he believed he knew the suspect.

When officers entered the residence at 901 Englewood Parkway, they found the two victims inside large trash cans in the living room/kitchen area. According to police, both victims had substantial visible injuries.

Maclaren allegedly struck his wife and daughter in the head that morning with the ax while they were sitting on the couch, making them unconscious, according to police documents. He then allegedly struck each in the head with the ax two more times. The affidavit says he then allegedly sawed their arms and legs off to make them fit in the trash cans.

Englewood detectives, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Crime Scene Unit and the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office conducted a homicide investigation at the scene of the crime.

Maclaren allegedly said he does not regret killing his family because he “knows they are in a better place.”

Police documents say Maclaren being held without a bond. He will appear in court for a preliominary hearing on July 19.

Editor's note: This story was updated after Maclaren's court hearing on April 3.