“It’s so depressing,” said North Hills neighbor Karen Banuelos, holding her 3-month-old son, Alexander. “It’s so devastating for everyone. Postpartum is real.”(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)By Richard Winton, Genaro Molina and Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles police homicide detectives believe the slaying of a family of four, including a 6-day-old baby, in a quiet San Fernando Valley neighborhood was the result of a murder-suicide, authorities said.
Officers discovered two adults and two young children with fatal gunshot wounds inside their North Hills home Wednesday after being called to the scene around 7:50 p.m.
Evidence initially gathered at the crime scene suggested it was the mother who shot the man and two children before dying by suicide, according to law enforcement sources.
The victims were identified as Ella Basmajian, 6 days old, Alec Basmajian, 2; Khajag Basmajian, 31; and a woman in her 30s whose name was not released pending the notification of her family, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner.
“This is an absolute tragedy, and given the number of deceased, the Robbery-Homicide [Division] is handling the investigation,” said Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Mike Bland.
BLAnd said there are no suspects at large, and detectives believe the incident was a murder-suicide.
Detectives responded to the home in the 16000 block of Londelius Street shortly after patrol officers from the Devonshire Division arrived and immediately began examining the crime scene along with forensic technicians.
Neighbor Karen Banuelos said: “I heard a commotion; I never heard the shots.”
She said she looked out her window and saw the police arrive and run in and saw family members running out, crying. Banuelos said the police, once they entered, were not in a rush and it became obvious that there was no one to save or arrest.
Banuelos said that the grandfather of the children spoke to another neighbor and revealed what happened.
“It’s so depressing, it’s so devastating for everyone. Postpartum [depression] is real,” Banuelos said, after noting the mother had recently delivered a baby. “To get possessed to do that? It’s just, there’s no words.”
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