Man kills brother, shoots sister then kills himself over inheritance

A La Quinta man killed his brother, shot his sister and then turned the gun on himself during a dispute over their mother’s inheritance, authorities said Friday.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Armando Munoz said Robert Bertrand, 55, and his siblings had a meeting and then got into an argument Sunday in La Quinta over their mother’s home.

During the argument, Robert Bertrand shot and killed his 61-year-old brother, Rick Bertrand, and then shot his sister, who has not been identified, authorities said.

At some point during the incident, the younger Bertrand killed himself.

Though injured, his sister was able to get to a vehicle and drive a short distance before stopping in the 46600 block of Washington Street.

La Quinta police spotted her vehicle when they were responding to a separate traffic report in the same neighborhood.

Police approached and found the injured sibling, according to Riverside County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jim Erickson.

She was unresponsive but alive. Later they were able to piece together what had happened.

Deputies went to the La Quinta home in the 51000 block of Avenida Carranza and found the two brothers’ bodies.

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