Family Tragedy in Lakewood Home
A horrific murder-suicide has shattered a family in the Los Angeles suburb of Lakewood, leaving a mother and her teenage daughter dead. The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning at a home on Lorelai Avenue.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies were called to the 5800 block of Lorelai Avenue around 8am after receiving a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. The caller, 19-year-old Desiree Alfaro, informed authorities that her father had shot at her and was lying unconscious on the floor.
Survivor's Harrowing Account
Desiree Alfaro told investigators she was asleep when she was awakened by the sound of gunshots. Her father, 52-year-old Hector Lionel Alfaro, then entered her room armed with a handgun and fired several shots at her. Miraculously, all of the bullets missed.
She stated that her father then shot himself in front of her. Lieutenant Daniel Vizcarra of the LA County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said Desiree was left 'extremely distraught' as she fled the house to seek help.
Upon entering the property, deputies discovered Hector Alfaro with a fatal gunshot wound to his upper torso. In a separate bedroom, they found his wife, 48-year-old Roxana Rodriguez, also deceased from a torso gunshot wound. In another room, their younger daughter, 17-year-old Sienna Alfaro, was found with a fatal wound to her upper torso. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
Community Mourns 'Ray of Sunshine'
The motive for the shooting remains unclear, plunging grieving family members into confusion and despair. 'It's hard to process,' Jorge Fuentes, Hector's brother-in-law, told local media. 'It's pain, anger, hard to understand how a person that's supposed to be a protector and a father to those girls would have done something so hideous.'
The community has rallied to remember the victims. In a statement, Desiree Alfaro described her mother, Roxana, as a devoted family member and friend, and her sister Sienna – known to friends as Lilly – as her best friend. 'She had the sweetest, kindest and most nurturing soul,' Desiree said.
Teammates from the Beach Futbol Club, where Lilly played soccer, paid tribute to her vibrant spirit. 'She's a very jolly person,' said teammate Hazel Ferman. 'Her smile would brighten up the room. Her energy was just out of this world.' She was remembered by many as 'a ray of sunshine'.
An online fundraiser has been established to support the surviving children with funeral costs, counselling, and living expenses. By Sunday, the campaign had raised nearly $90,000, demonstrating an outpouring of community support during an unimaginably painful time. The investigation by the LA County Sheriff's Department is ongoing.
