A quiet morning in a suburban Los Angeles community was shattered by a horrific domestic incident that left three members of a family dead in an apparent murder-suicide.
A Grisly Discovery in Lakewood
On the morning of January 15, police in Los Angeles County responded to a distressing call reporting an 'assault with a deadly weapon'. The call came from a 19-year-old woman, the surviving daughter of the family, just before 8am. She reported being awoken by the sound of gunfire inside their three-bedroom home in Lakewood, a middle-class area located roughly 20 miles south of central Los Angeles.
According to the official police report, the gunman, identified as 52-year-old Hector Lionel Alfaro, had already shot his 48-year-old wife and their 17-year-old daughter. The victims were found deceased from gunshot wounds in separate bedrooms. The report chillingly details that Alfaro then approached his eldest daughter, pointed a handgun at her, and fired several shots. Miraculously, she was not struck.
"Alfaro then appeared near her, armed with a handgun and shot at her several times; however, she was not struck by the gunfire," the report stated. "He then shot himself while standing near her."
Community Reels from Isolated Tragedy
When deputies arrived at the scene, they found Alfaro unconscious in the living room with a gunshot wound to his torso. He was later pronounced dead. The 19-year-old daughter, described as 'extremely distraught' but physically unharmed, fled the house upon their arrival. She was detained and taken to the Lakewood Station for questioning as part of the investigation.
Authorities recovered two firearms from the property, valued at approximately $1 million. Lakewood City Council Member and former Assistant Sheriff Todd Rogers swiftly moved to reassure the public, confirming the incident was a domestic murder-suicide and posed no further threat.
"Three confirmed deceased and one victim shot at but not hit..." Rogers wrote on social media on the day of the shooting. "Appears to be domestic/family related and was isolated to the house; there is no threat to the public at large... A very tragic day for our community."
Motive Remains a Mystery
Sheriff's Captain Daniel Holguin addressed reporters, labelling the event a profound 'tragedy'. He noted that Lakewood is typically one of the safest cities in LA County, with the local sheriff's department reporting only one criminal homicide in the area throughout 2025 prior to this event.
The motive behind this shocking triple killing remains unknown, and the investigation is ongoing. The profound sense of loss has deeply affected the local community, which is unaccustomed to violence of this nature. The tragedy underscores the devastating and often hidden impact of domestic violence, even in seemingly secure and affluent neighbourhoods.
