A California father shot and killed his wife and teenage daughter before turning his gun on his eldest child and taking his own life in front of her in a devastating murder-suicide that has left a family shattered.
Hector Lionel Alfaro, 52, unleashed the deadly attack inside the family’s home on the 5800 block of Loreile Avenue in Lakewood at around 8 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.
Armed with a handgun, Alfaro fatally shot his 48-year-old wife and his 17-year-old daughter in the upper torso, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.
The couple’s 19-year-old daughter was jolted awake by the sound of gunfire echoing through the house. Investigators said Alfaro then fired multiple shots at her, narrowly missing, before killing himself in front of her.
Deputies later found Alfaro in the family den suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His wife and youngest daughter were discovered dead in separate bedrooms. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
The surviving daughter was not physically injured but was described as “extremely distraught” following the massacre.
Two firearms were recovered from the home, authorities said.
Deputies initially detained the 19-year-old daughter after responding to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon. She was taken to the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station for questioning but was released once investigators confirmed her father was responsible for the killings.
“She ran out of the house completely traumatized,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Daniel Vizcarra told reporters, adding that there was no ongoing threat to the community.
Family members struggled to comprehend the tragedy.
“Luckily, she survived,” said her uncle, Jorge Fuentes, Alfaro’s brother-in-law. “Now she has to live with the consequences of what her father did. It’s impossible to process — the pain, the anger. A father is supposed to protect his children, not destroy them.”
Authorities emphasized that the shooting was an isolated incident.
“This is a tragedy for the City of Lakewood,” said Capt. Dan Holguin. “Lakewood is one of the safest cities in Los Angeles County.”
Fuentes said relatives have rallied around the surviving daughter and extended family in the aftermath.
“Family members opened their homes, helped with anything we needed,” he said. “There’s been an outpouring of support from friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
The names of Alfaro’s wife and daughters have not been released.
