A financially struggling businesswoman is believed to have murdered her husband and two young daughters before taking her own life in their $2 million San Francisco mansion, police have said.
Paula Truong, 53, was found hanging in the garage of the family home in the upscale Westwood Highlands neighbourhood on Wednesday. Her husband Thomas 'TR' Ocheltree, 57, and their daughters Alexandra, 12, and Mackenzie, nine, were discovered dead in their beds.
Relatives have blamed Truong for the tragedy, describing Ocheltree and the girls as the 'real victims'. A family member told KGO-TV: 'We are devastated. Thomas Ocheltree and his beautiful daughters are the real victims here. They played no part in this tragedy.'
The family had been facing severe financial difficulties. The four-bedroom house, bought for $1.35 million in 2014, had been in foreclosure since February 2024 after the couple defaulted on a $2.24 million mortgage. They owed more than $200,000 in back payments when the property was sold at auction in October 2024 for $2.05 million.
Truong, a Vietnam War refugee who ran several Bay Area businesses including the Orbit Coffee chain, was also sued in January for $18,000 in unpaid credit card debt. The coffee shop, which aimed to create a 'safe space' for families, had three locations but was struggling financially.
Police are investigating the case as a murder-suicide. The bodies were found by Ocheltree's brother, who broke into the home after not hearing from the family for six days. The medical examiner is conducting autopsies to determine the exact causes of death.
