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Police in Utah believe a father killed his wife and three children and critically injured their 17-year-old son at the family’s home this week then turned a firearm on himself, according to new details released by authorities.
The bodies and the lone survivor were found Tuesday night inside a house in West Valley City, a southwest Salt Lake City suburbpolice first reported.
The discovery took place after the mother failed to report to work this week, according to the West Valley Police Department, the lead agency on the case. A concerned relative entered the garage of the home, found a 17-year-old boy critically injured, and notified police.
Arriving officers entered the home and found the 38-year-old mother, and the two daughters, ages 9 and 2, in a bedroom in the upper level of the home, police announced in an update during a press conference Wednesday night. The bodies of the 42-year-old father and the 11-year-old son were located in the living room.
A small handgun, police reported, was found under the father’s body, that police believe was used in the shootings.
“All of the victims appear to have suffered gunshot wounds,” police spokesperson Roxeanne Vainuku announced during a news conference Thursday night. Vainuku said detectives believe the shootings took place sometime between Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.
Ballistic testing will determine whether the firearm was the weapon used in the crime, Vainuki added.
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17-year-old son shot in head suffered severe brain injury
The 17-year-old boy found inside the garage is the couple’s son and suffered a critically gunshot wound to the head, Vainuku said, adding detectives believe the teen was shot in the home and managed to make his way to the garage.
As of Wednesday night, Vainuku said, he remained hospitalized with a “severe brain injury” unable to communicate with anyone.
Officials have not yet released the victim’s names as police said they were still working to notify all next of kin.
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Police continue to investigate motive in family’s apparent murder-suicide
On Thursday, Vainuku said detectives continued to investigate the apparent murder suicide case, the motive remained under investigation.
Officers found no note at the crime scene, and there is no history of domestic violence on records at that home, Vainuku said.
“We understand how frustrating it is for an incident of this magnitude to happen and to not understand why. We know people want to know why. We want to know why,” Vainuku said. “The truth is we may never know. It’s hard to comprehend.”
Late Wednesday night, the city released a statement on behalf of Mayor Karen Lang and city council that read:
“It is with a heavy heart that we ask the community to show support to the family affected by the tragedy that has occurred in our community,” according to the city’s post on X. “We also ask for support for our first responders that are working diligently to find answers. Together, we will work toward healing as a community.”
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A concerned relative and no sign of emergency
The night prior to police entering the home to find the bodies, a concerned relative contacted police and said they had not heard from one of the family members they kept in regular contact with.
Officers visited the home but no one answered, police reported. Officers looked in the home’s windows and spoke to neighbors but found no sign of an emergency or crime so they asked the family member to keep in contact, Vainuku said.
When the mother failed to report to work, the relative visited the home, entered the garage, and found the injured 17-year-old son.
The teen remained hospitalized in critical condition early Thursday.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact West Valley police.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Family’s death in West Valley City being investigated as murder-suicide