Family of four found dead in suspected murder-suicide

A family of four weere found dead in this Pleasantville house.

ASAM NEWS

The murder suicide of a family of four has devastated the small community of Pleasantville, near New York, reports CBS2.
Authorities believe Tom Liu, 46, stabbed his wife Dorothy, 42, and his children Tennyson, 7, and Adeline,4 before killing himself.

“There’s no way to even process it,” said neighbor Louise Beach to CBS2.

NBC New York reports the school district called police after the children failed to show up to school without explanation. Counselors were made available for both students and staff.

“When something like this happens, it’s devastating. It’s worse than anybody can imagine and especially when it’s people you know,” said Brian Skarstad, a family friend and neighbor, said to NBC NY. “It couldn’t be any worse than this.”

Police arrived to the home to do a welfare check and discovered all four bodies.

“While we do not have a motive, interviews indicate that Mr. Liu was under a considerable amount of stress. There are no reports of domestic violence prior to this incident at the home,” Pleasantville Police Chief Erik Grutzner said Friday. 

“The only information we have about this family is that they are a wonderful and involved set of parents to two incredible, active and amazing children,” said Grutzner.
The impact extends beyond this 1.7-square-mile community of about 7,000 residents. MUFG, a Japan-based financial firm for which Tom Liu worked in the New York area, said in a statement "we are greatly saddened by the tragic loss of Tom Liu and his family."
The American Psychological Association reports Asian Americans have half the suicide rate of the national average. The group described as a myth the perception that Asian Americans have a suicide rate higher than other racial or ethnic groups.

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If you suspect someone has suicidal thoughts, ask them directly. If they say yes, seek help.
Call 1-877-990-8585, Asian LifeNet Hotline (24 hours). (Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Fujianese are offered)

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Police: Murder-suicide ruled for family of four

Chandrasekhar and Lavanya Sunkara.

ASAM NEWS

Authorities said Monday (June 17) that the family of four found dead from gunshot wounds at their home in West Des Moines, Iowa were victims of a murder-suicide.

The victims have been identified as Chandrasekhar Sunkara, 44, and Lavanya Sunkara, 41, along with their two sons, a 10-year-old and a 15-year-old.

Police have previously said they were confident there was no threat to the community, but they didn’t explain why.

West Des Moines Police said in a statement Tuesday: “Forensic autopsies were conducted June 16th. The State Medical Examiner’s Office has determined the causes of death for all four family members to be gunshot wounds. The manners of death for Lavanya Sunkara and the two boys are homicide. The manner of death for Chandrasekhar Sunkara is suicide.”

The Des Moines Register reported that other family members, two adult relatives and two children, were staying with the Sunkaras as guests. One of the survivors ran outside after discovering the bodies to seek help. A neighbor called 911.

In-laws told the Deccan Chronicle that depression may be the cause for the shooting.

According to the family, Chandrasekhar Sunkara had been depressed due to the ill-health of his elder son.

“Chandu could have consulted a psychiatrist in case of acute depression; the family should have intervened in case if they knew about his psychological condition,” a relative said.

The boys were “really bright children, really heads down,” said Shrikar Somayajula, a co-owner of and partner in A Grade Ahead, an after school educational program attended by the boys. “The family was a very friendly family, so it’s really painful.”

Somayajula added that the star students represented the school in national scholastic competitions and “wanted to go to one of the elite Ivy League colleges.”

Chandrasekhar Sunkara worked in IT for the Iowa Department of Public Safety, according to KCCI.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the Sunkaras,” said the DPS in a statement.

Views From the Edge contributed to this report.

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Authorities say missing hikers deaths was a murder-suicide

The bodies of Joseph Orbeso and Rachel Nguyen were found after three months.

ASAM NEWS

A TRAGIC TURN in the recovery of two bodies in Joshua Tree National Park in California.
Authorities who had first said the couple died after getting lost during a hike now say they died in a murder suicide.

The San Bernardino County Coroner says gunshot wounds were found during the autopsy in the bodies of Joseph Orbeso, 21, and Rachel Nguyen, 20, reports KTLA.

Investigators say Orbeso shot Nguyen and then himself.

RELATED: Found bodies believed to be of missing hikers

“There is no indication that he wanted to harm her; that there was any plan for something like this,” said Cynthia Bachman of the Sheriff’s Department. “We’ll probably never know why it happened.” His motive for doing this, there’s nothing left behind to tell us why.”

The bodies were found after a three month search.

Orbeso’s father said when the bodies were found that the recovery gave him closure.

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