Police ID 4 New Mexico family members found dead Christmas Day in suspected murder-suicide

RIO RANCHO, N.M. — Authorities have identified the four family members found dead Christmas Day in an Albuquerque suburb in a suspected murder-suicide, multiple outlets reported.

Update 2:05 a.m. EST Dec. 27: The Rio Rancho Police Department confirmed to KRQE that all of the victims are members of the same family and resided in the Northern Meadows subdivision home where the shootings took place.

The victims have been identified as Carlos Velasquez, 50; Marilyn Velasquez, 45; Roberto Velasquez, 22; and Adrian Velasquez, 14, KRQE reported.

Capt. Andrew Rodriguez, a Rio Rancho Police spokesman, told the Albuquerque Journal that detectives believe it’s a case of murder-suicide. All four victims had been shot – with both sons still in their beds – and a gun was found beneath the body of Carlos Velasquez.

Carlos Velasquez, who had recently retired from the Army, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and the couple was divorcing, the Journal reported, citing court records.

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Original report: At least four people were found dead in a home in an Albuquerque suburb on Christmas Day, multiple media outlets reported.

In a tweet, the Rio Rancho Police Department confirmed the victims were found just after 4 p.m. and died of apparent gunshot wounds.

Authorities have not released the names, ages or sex of the victims, and no suspect is in custody, KRQE reported.

Rio Rancho Police Department Capt. Andrew Rodriguez declined to specify why authorities believe the situation poses no threat to the public.

“We still have to get a warrant to be able to continue our investigation, but we are not actively looking for anyone else at this time,” Rodriguez told the Albuquerque Journal.

Read more here and here.

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