Six found dead in Porter Ranch home
Police say an unemployed financial advisor apparently shot and killed his wife, mother-in-law, and three sons before turning the gun on himself.
An unemployed financial advisor apparently despondent over his troubles shot and killed his wife, his mother-in-law and three children before taking his own life in a gated community in the northwest San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles police said today.
Officers responding to a call from concerned friends found the bodies about 7:15 a.m. in a two-story house in the 20600 block of Como Lane in Porter Ranch, said LAPD Deputy Chief Michael Moore. The identities of the victims were not immediately released.
"We believe this to be a murder-suicide," Moore said. "It appears [the gunman] killed his family and then took his own life."
The 45-year-old suspect used a handgun he purchased Sept. 16, Moore said. The weapon was found next to the gunman's body, officials said.
The bodies of the man's 39-year-old wife, 70-year-old mother-in-law, and three sons -- ages 19, 12 and 7 -- were found inside the home's various bedrooms. Authorities had earlier said that one of the victims was the gunman's mother but now say it was his mother-in-law.
Friends and neighbors identified the couple as Karthik and Subasri Rajaram, who had lived in the neighborhood for about two years.
Moore said police believe that the gunman shot the victims sometime after 6 p.m. Saturday, and that he had left behind three letters indicating that he had carried out the killings.
He said the gunman had worked previously for Price Waterhouse and Sony Pictures and "had attested to some financial difficulties," Moore said. "He had become despondent over his financial" situation.
Authorities were alerted to the homicide when friends who carpooled with the gunman's wife called police when no one answered the door at the house.
The family rented the home on Como Lane, according to the owner, who did not want to be identified. She said the family is of Indian descent.
"They were a very nice family," she said. "We had no indications anything was wrong."
richard.winton@latimes.com
ari.bloomekatz@latimes.com
Times staff writers Victoria Kim, Evelyn Larrubia and Jennifer Oldham contributed to this story.
