Man Arrested in Deaths of Four Family Members

A 36-year-old Santa Barbara man was held without bail Sunday on charges he shot to death four members of his family--including his 4-year-old niece--at their pastoral hillside ranch.

Police booked Barry W. McNamara on suspicion of murder in connection with the deaths of his father, Elger, 57; his mother, Florence, 57; his sister, Diane L. Trenner, 31, and Mrs. Trenner’s daughter, Kellin, 4, in a shooting spree Saturday night.

According to neighbors, one victim’s body was discovered outside the house, another was found in the kitchen and the two others were in an adjoining room. Police refused to disclose details on the types of weapons used or the number of shots fired.

Concern Over Weight

Authorities disclosed no motive, although one neighbor noted there had been friction within the family concerning Barry McNamara’s weight. “That may have triggered something because that’s been going on a long time,” said John Hernandez.

Police said the suspect weighs 220 pounds and stands 5-feet, 8-inches tall. At the Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was being held, McNamara listed the ranch as his address and said he was employed by a temporary job agency.

Neighbors said the suspect’s father, Elger, was a successful inventor who recently sold a lucrative patent to a major corporation for a wristwatch-like device for diabetics called “Sleep Sentry.” They said the device sounds an alarm to wake up diabetics when it detects a temperature drop or perspiration on their wrists.

“He was going to make a million on it,” said Wayne Saari, 60, a fellow inventor who lives about a mile from the McNamaras’ creek-side ranch.

Police said Barry McNamara surrendered without incident when they arrived at the ranch minutes after the shootings. Authorities were apparently alerted to the tragedy by a family friend who was talking on the telephone to Mrs. Trenner when the firing began.

The spacious red-and-white ranch, at 5520 W. Camino Cielo, is situated in bucolic surroundings about eight miles north of the Santa Barbara city limits near the summit of San Marcos Pass. It is surrounded by tall pine and oak trees in a small, secluded clearing in the woods.

The McNamaras were described as a cooperative, outgoing family by neighbors. Bill Obermeyer, who lives about 100 yards down the road, spent Christmas Day at their home and recalled Sunday that “all the family got along just fine.” Obermeyer said Barry McNamara was “kind of quiet--I had no idea he had any animosity toward his family.”

Neighbors said Mrs. Trenner and her daughter had resided at the ranch for several weeks. According to Obermeyer, the woman was a horse trainer who had been living in Northern California.