In a truly modern day tragedy, an unemployed financial advisor apparently despondent over his troubles shot and killed his wife, his mother-in-law and three children before taking his own life in the gated community of the 20600 block of Como Lane in Porter Ranch in the northwest San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles police said today. Concerned friends had phoned police over the night and when police showed up at 8:30 it was far too late. The LA Times writes, “We believe this to be a murder-suicide,” Moore said. “It appears [the gunman] killed his family and then took his own life.”
The 45-year-old suspect used a handgun he purchased Sept. 16, Moore said. The weapon was found next to the gunman’s body, officials said. The bodies of the man’s 39-year-old wife, 70-year-old mother-in-law, and three sons — ages 19, 12 and 7 — were found inside the home’s various bedrooms. Authorities had earlier said that one of the victims was the gunman’s mother but now say it was his mother-in-law. Friends and neighbors identified the couple as Karthik and Subasri Rajaram, who had lived in the neighborhood for a few years.
Moore said police believe that the gunman shot the victims sometime after 6 p.m. Saturday, and that he had left behind three letters indicating that he had carried out the killings. One letter, addressed to law enforcement, confessed to the shootings. He wrote a second letter to friends. The third letter, police said, appeared to be a will. He said the gunman had worked previously for Price Waterhouse and Sony Pictures and “had attested to some financial difficulties,” Moore said. “He had become despondent over his financial” situation.”
