Wounded Man Charged in Slayings of Wife, Daughter

A man was charged Tuesday with two counts of murder for allegedly gunning down his wife and daughter in their Pico Rivera home earlier this month, officials said.

Antonio Parocua, 36, is hospitalized in stable condition for treatment of a gunshot wound to the abdomen, which might have been inflicted in the same incident, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Kathryn Nielsen said.

Detectives said they were investigating whether Parocua shot himself in a suicide attempt after shooting his wife, Susana, 33, and daughter, Vanessa, 9, on May 12 in the family’s home in the 6200 block of Pico Vista Road, Nielsen said.

Parocua was charged by the district attorney’s office in Whittier with two counts of murder, Nielsen said. The charges include special circumstance allegations that mean Parocua would be eligible for the death penalty if he is convicted.

Deputy Gabe Ramirez said Parocua called a private ambulance company about 8:30 a.m. on the day of the shooting and met the ambulance outside his home. Parocua, who had been shot in the stomach, was taken to a hospital.

Parocua’s wife and daughter were found by the woman’s father shortly before 10 a.m. after he had become concerned because she had not arrived at work, Ramirez said.

Both victims died of gunshot wounds to the upper body. A 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol found at the scene was later determined to be the murder weapon, Nielsen said.

Homicide investigators released no details concerning motive, Nielsen said, noting that the detectives had determined that “physical evidence found at the scene and statements by the subject were in conflict.”