Man Fatally Shoots Wife, Then Himself

A 25-year-old Tujunga man, determined not to let his wife go through with a divorce, shot her to death outside her apartment and then killed himself, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies said Wednesday.

Martin Vargas killed his wife, Susana, 23, about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when he confronted her at her brother’s apartment, where she had moved since their separation two months ago, Sheriff’s Lt. Frank Merriman said.

Martin Vargas went to the apartment in the 400 block of Mira Vista Drive to persuade his wife not to go through with the divorce, Merriman said. He brought along his 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.

“She told him she wanted a divorce, he went over there to talk to her, and it didn’t go that well,” Merriman said.

When he arrived, Martin Vargas asked his wife to step out of her brother’s apartment so they could talk, Merriman said. Standing on the landing outside the second-story apartment, the two exchanged words, and then Vargas drew his gun and shot his wife once in the chest.

Amadeo Villareal, who was sitting outside the building, said Wednesday that he saw Susana Vargas tumble down the stairs. Villareal said Martin Vargas walked down the stairs, stood over his wife’s body, and fired another shot into her.

Vargas then walked from the courtyard of the apartment complex to the curb, where he shot himself once in the head, Merriman said.

Merriman said the Vargases had not been married long, and had no children.

“He just obviously snapped,” Merriman said. “Once she said the D-word, that was it.”