79-year-old man kills wife, 2 adult children in murder-suicide

LOS ANGELES – The Medical Examiner’s office has released the names of two men and two women shot to death in a Granada Hills home in a murder-suicide.

Police said the older man was the shooter and died from a self-inflicted wound. He was identified as 79-year-old Rodrigo De Leon. The victims were identified as 80-year-old Arabella De Leon, 53-year-old Rodrigo De Leon and 49-year-old Merceditas De Leon.

“They all appear to be family,” Lt. Blanca Lopez of the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division told reporters last week.

The Medical Examiner’s office has released the names of two men and two women shot to death in a Granada Hills home in a murder-suicide. Photo for illustration only

A report published on this website, claims Rodrigo De Leon was born on April 12, 1943, in Manila, Philippines and immigrated to the United States in 1968.

The shooting was reported at 6:50 p.m. Saturday in the 11600 block of Lerdo Avenue, north of the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway next to Zelzah Park, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Rosario Cervantes told City News Service.

Arriving officers knocked on the door but no one answered, so they forced entry and were met by a witness who directed them to the deceased people, Cervantes said.

Investigators said the witness barricaded in a room during the shooting and called police, but no further details were released. It was unclear whether the witness was part of the family.

Video from the scene showed a large police presence in the neighborhood as the shooting was investigated.

An investigation continued into the motive for the shootings.

“I don’t know how much more terrifying and horrific of a scene it can be when you have four persons that are deceased,” said LAPD Capt. Kelly Muniz during a press conference Saturday night. “The only positive point is that you at least have one witness that has survived this incident.” (With CNS report)