15-year-old among 4 killed in murder-suicide in Central Florida, police say

Police urge people to report domestic violence incidences

CASSELBERRY, Fla. – Four people, including a 15-year-old and the shooter, are dead after a murder-suicide in Casselberry Tuesday morning, according to police.

Officers, along with Seminole County deputies, said they were called to an apartment located at 2333 Coawood Court around 7:15 a.m. after a male called 911 saying he had been shot, WKMG reported.

Officers and deputies found four people with gunshot wounds inside the apartment. The suspect was male, the other two were female, and there was also a 15-year-old boy, according to investigators.

Police say ultimately none of the victims survived.

Officers believe the killer shot the three victims then turned the gun on themselves. The suspect was taken to an area hospital and succumbed to his injuries.

Police believe the four people are family -- the shooter was the husband.

Family members told WKMG that the two females were the suspected shooter’s wife, Zuleika Lopez, and mother-in-law, Mileida Lopez, and a stepchild, Victor Araujo. Seminole County Public Schools confirms that Araujo attended Lake Howell High School.

The family of the victims identify them as Mileida Lopez (left), Victor Araujo (center) and Zuleika Lopez (right). (Ellamim Albornoz)

Casselberry police say they had received a call last week about concerns about a gun being in the home, but police said there was no sign of issues. The gun was legally owned, purchased June 2 at a local gun shop. Police said they gave information on what to do if the woman felt threatened.

“We’re clueless as to why this incident happened. We don’t have a history of violence involving these individuals,” said Casselberry Police Chief Larry Krantz.

Police records show two calls to the home -- one in 2020, where the suspect allegedly called police, saying he didn’t want to be with the wife any longer. Krantz says there was an incident a few months later where the wife claimed the suspect was following her because he was jealous and was accusing her of infidelity.

The police chief said there may have been two unreported incidences of physical domestic violence, according to witnesses, but nothing was reported to law enforcement.

Krantz urged people who may be victims of domestic violence in the community to call for help. Florida’s Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-500-1119.


About the Author
Thomas Mates headshot

Thomas Mates is a Streaming Executive Producer for News 6 and ClickOrlando.com. He also produces the podcast Florida Foodie. Thomas is originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and worked in Portland, Oregon before moving to Central Florida in August 2018. He graduated from Temple University with a degree in Journalism in 2010.

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