SACRAMENTO, Calif. (TCN) — Police discovered a family of four dead in an apparent murder-suicide after receiving a 911 call from the alleged shooter.
On Jan. 27, a neighbor called the authorities to report possible gunshots and screaming, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office announced. A few minutes later, 911 dispatchers received a call from 58-year-old David Vallerga. The New York Post reports he said, “I’m the shooter. I’m setting up booby traps and turning off the cellphone.”
Responding officers evacuated nearby residences and a SWAT team arrived in an armored vehicle to call out any occupants in the house after it was determined that the caller and resident had prior military experience and owned firearms, the sheriff’s office said.
When no one responded to the SWAT team, the armored vehicle went through the sliding glass door and a drone was sent into the residence. It located Vallerga unresponsive holding a pistol. Another pistol was found underneath him. Also inside the residence were a 49-year-old woman, a 13-year-old boy, and an 11-year-old girl, all dead from gunshot wounds.
According to the sheriff’s office, an explosive ordnance disposal team cleared the residence. No explosives or booby traps were found, but there were reportedly 14 additional firearms inside the home.
The Sacramento Bee identified the 49-year-old victim as Vallerga’s wife, Lindsey Vallerga, using property records. The New York Post identified the children as Sydney and Colton Vallerga. According to the outlet, the family homeschooled and ran a tutoring business. A neighbor said the children raised chickens in the backyard and that they were creative, enjoyed make-believe games, and liked to paint and make jewelry.
According to deputies, there was no history of domestic violence inside the Vallerga home, CBS News reports. Another neighbor of the family said Vallerga was known to scream at his wife and children and reportedly once heard him threaten his wife, the New York Post reports.
According to the sheriff’s office, detectives are working to discover a motive.
MORE:
