MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade police are investigating a murder-suicide that left a family of four dead, authorities confirmed Monday.
According to a news release, police responded to an apartment located at 17400 NW 68th Ave. just after 9 p.m. Sunday to conduct a welfare check on the family.
When officers arrived, they smelled a “distinct foul odor emitting from the apartment,” authorities said.
Police said a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crew was called to the apartment and assisted officers with getting inside.
According to authorities, officers entered the home to find four people dead inside with apparent gunshot wounds.
Police said it appears that the 60-year-old father fatally shot his 50-year-old partner, his 18-year-old son and his 13-year-old daughter before taking his own life.
Relatives identified the father as Victor Penalba and the mother as Yumara Martinez. They said the couple has been together for 20 years on and off.
Their children were identified as Jason Penalba and Stephanie Penalba.
An uncle told Local 10 News reporter Alex Finnie that the family had been dead for two weeks before they were checked on.
“We are shocked,” said family member Juan Rodriguez. “We don’t understand how nobody heard the four gunshots. Nobody heard or smelled anything until yesterday.”
Family members were concerned about the safety of Martinez and the children, Rodriguez said.
“He snapped. This guy was super jealous,” he said. “Super dominating. Wanted to control (everything). His kids feared him.”
Rodriguez said Victor Penalba worked for the sanitation department in Hialeah but lost his job a few weeks ago.
“Who would’ve thought this guy was capable of killing his children, killing himself, killing my sister,” he said. “I don’t understand this.”
Police said the investigation remains ongoing.