Valencia man fatally shoots his in-laws, then kills himself
A 64-year-old man apparently picked up his in-laws from their home in Los Angeles on Friday, drove them to his house in Valencia and shot them to death in the driveway. He then turned the gun on himself.
His wife, who was inside the home when she heard three shots, ran out and discovered the bodies of her 90-year-old mother in the front seat and her 95-year-old father in the back. Her husband was still in the driver’s seat.
None of the names of those involved has been released.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the emergency call about 3:40 p.m. in the 23800 block of Bayview Court in the community of Bridgeport, a quaint, upscale neighborhood.
Authorities said the murder-suicide appeared to have been planned by the man.
He was reportedly depressed, but no motive has been determined.
“It looks like he planned it and thought about it. He had a note, he had a gun,” said Sheriff’s Homicide Lt. John Corina.
Inside the man’s four-door compact car, investigators found a handgun on the man’s lap and a suicide note.
As neighbors gathered on the sidewalk and in the street, some said no crime of any sort had ever occurred before in the tight-knit community. All expressed shock.
“I’m at a loss for words,” said Olga Echenique, an eight-year resident. “I can’t believe it has happened in our neighborhood. Our kids play outside, our neighbors are sweet; we give each other our house keys.”
“Nothing like this has ever happened in the six years I’ve lived here,” Francisco Gamero said. “This is a quiet neighborhood.”
Los Angeles Times staff writer Robert Faturechi contributed to this report.
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