Neighbors say murder and suicide victims were found by relatives and a church leader

WEST VALLEY CITY – The 17-year-old teenager was found barely alive with his deceased family members and killed in what police suspect was a murder-suicide. According to neighbors, he was discovered by relatives and a church leader.

A neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, said relatives of the 38-year-old mother were in the neighborhood Monday afternoon looking for the family.

“They knocked on our door and asked if we had seen them over the weekend because they hadn’t responded to their calls or texts,” the neighbor said. “It was the mother’s sister and her son (the victim’s nephew).”

The neighbor said they became concerned and on Monday evening they saw that West Valley City police had been called to the area. Police asked neighbors, including German DeCasa, who said he was surprised to learn the family had a teenage son.

“I saw the father, mother and three children, the little children, but I don’t know anything about the 17-year-old boy. I hadn’t seen him,” said DeCasa, who also reported that he hadn’t seen the family in recent days.

Police say the West Valley City killings are likely murder-suicide

On Tuesday morning, the neighbor, who did not want to be named, said that the relatives were back in the neighborhood and asked again about the family’s whereabouts.

“We saw them. They kept driving past the house and knocking on the door, but no one answered,” the neighbor said.

The neighbor said he became concerned and encouraged family members to contact police or break the window to gain entry to the home.

“Their faces and just the energy that they radiated was worry, concern,” the neighbor said.

According to the neighbor, the relatives were hesitant to call the authorities again because the police “told them to wait.”

“My older sister told them to do another welfare check because there might have been a gas leak, carbon monoxide,” the neighbor said. “(The victim’s nephew) replied, ‘My mother is worried that he (the father) is in there with something,’ when my sister heard it, which stunned her.”

The neighbor said relatives suspected the family was at the house and told them they would return with their church leader who would “help.”

“They knew something was wrong in the house,” the neighbor said.

On Tuesday afternoon around 2 p.m., the neighbor said the relatives returned with the man they said was their church leader.

“Eventually the church member and another family member stopped and tried to figure out how to get into the house again,” the neighbor said, explaining that they eventually decided to find a way into the back of the house.

“Apparently they were hesitant to climb over the garden fence because of the dog, but we assured them that the dog is quite friendly,” the neighbor said. “I think the church leader decided to take action and ended up climbing over the fence.”

The neighbor said the church leader and another male relative jumped the fence and looked for a way into the house.

Meanwhile, the neighbor said she called 911 to inform them of her efforts to break into the home and asked for police assistance.

“I told them to come and help,” the neighbor said.

Some time later, the men left the house and reported that they had found the 17-year-old alive and injured in the garage.

“I started hearing screams, like crazy screams (from the nurse),” the neighbor said. “Then I called 911 again and said, ‘Hey, they’re screaming now. I’m not sure if the person in there is armed, but they said he looked disoriented, you should come here now.’ This is a matter of life and death.’”

Neighbors said police arrived and finally entered the house, where they found the deceased victims in what they believe was a murder-suicide by the 42-year-old father.

Several neighbors said they were shocked and saddened to learn of the circumstances. They described the family, with whom they had been neighbors for three years, as warm and friendly.

The deceased victims include the 38-year-old mother and three children, including an 11-year-old boy, and two daughters aged 9 and 2.

“It’s shocking and disturbing that things had to be delayed,” the neighbor said. “In the end, we talked to my family and decided that if you went missing, we would break into your house. You can replace your front door or window. I’ll make sure you’re okay.”

Grief counselors offer advice on processing difficult details of the West Valley murder-suicide