Simi Father, Son Die in Probable Murder-Suicide : Shooting: The man was apparently upset over health and finance problems. Police say it’s the city’s second such case in just over a week.

A Simi Valley father, upset over health and financial problems, shot and killed his 11-year-old son and then took his own life, police said Friday.

It was the second murder-suicide in the city in just over a week and the third so far this year, authorities said.

Simi Valley Police Lt. Robert Klamser said William Boehmer, 57, shot his son, Sean, as the boy lay sleeping in an upstairs bedroom of Boehmer’s apartment and then turned the gun on himself.

Klamser said both victims died of gunshot wounds to the head. He said the pair had been dead about 24 hours when they were found by police and Boehmer’s ex-wife Friday morning. A large-caliber rifle was found next to the bodies.

Klamser said evidence in the apartment showed that Boehmer had been upset over financial and health problems. He said there was also evidence that Boehmer had been planning the deaths for some time. Klamser declined to elaborate, saying that an investigation was continuing.

Boehmer, who had been divorced from the boy’s mother since April, 1990, shared custody of the child with his ex-wife. The couple have another son and daughter, both of whom reside elsewhere in California, authorities said.

Police said Boehmer was supposed to return Sean to his mother by 8:30 p.m. Thursday, but never showed up.

Lucille Boehmer, who also lives in Simi Valley, then went to William Boehmer’s apartment in the 3900 block of Melissa Court at 1:45 a.m. Friday to check on her son. When no one answered the door, she called police, who obtained a pass key and entered the apartment with her, Klamser said.

Friends and neighbors told police that they had last seen William and Sean Boehmer outside the apartment between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Neighbors said Boehmer, who operated a video business out of his apartment, had lived on the street for more than two years. They described him as a quiet man who pretty much kept to himself.

“He was kind of weird,” said neighbor Rick Stanionis. “He stayed inside a lot.”

Sal D’Angelo, another neighbor, said he didn’t know Boehmer but said his 7-year-old son, Anthony, often played with Sean.

“He was nice,” Anthony said of his friend. “He liked to make things with paper.” Anthony said he had last talked to Sean on Wednesday afternoon and that he seemed fine.

Barbara Marino, Sean’s principal at Township School in Simi Valley, said he was an outstanding student who had received several academic awards during a special ceremony on the last day of school, June 19.

Among the honors was a President’s Academic Fitness Award, which included a plaque and letter from President Bush commending him for his schoolwork, she said.

“He took his work very seriously, and his work was to be a good student,” said a tearful Marino. “I just feel devastated.”

Marino said Sean, who had transferred from Faith Baptist School in Canoga Park a year ago, never gave any indication that there might be trouble at home.

“He tended to be quiet, but he had close friends,” she said. “He was a kid who always had a smile on his face.”

Klamser said the evidence found at Boehmer’s residence showed that he had been considering a murder-suicide involving his son prior to the June 19 incident in which a woman suffering from mental problems killed her 15-year-old daughter and herself.

In that case, Karen Marie Christensen shot and killed her daughter, Emily, as the girl prepared for her junior high school graduation. Christensen, who had a long history of mental problems, then took her own life.

Another murder-suicide occurred in Simi Valley on Jan. 12, when a man, depressed over marital problems, shot and killed his wife before killing himself.

The latest incident brings to six the number of homicides in Simi Valley in 1991, compared to one in 1990.