Police are investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide after discovering a handgun at the scene.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A 37-year-old man and his 10-year-old twin sons were found dead inside a Los Angeles apartment Sunday evening after police responded to a report of a shooting, authorities said. Investigators believe the case was a murder-suicide.
Police identified the boys as Joseph Chavez and Greysen Chavez. The deaths have shaken residents in the apartment community and added to concerns about a recent series of family-related homicide cases in Southern California. Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division are leading the investigation as they work to determine the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting.
Officers were dispatched to an apartment building on Owensmouth Avenue at about 7:15 p.m. Sunday after receiving a call reporting a shooting. When officers arrived, they found three people dead inside the residence. Police said each victim appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds. The two children were identified as twin brothers Joseph and Greysen Chavez, both 10 years old. Authorities said the adult man found at the scene was believed to be the boys’ father. Investigators recovered a handgun from the apartment and began processing the scene for evidence. Detectives spent hours documenting the residence, collecting physical evidence and interviewing potential witnesses as they sought to reconstruct what occurred before the shooting. Officials have not publicly released additional details about the events leading up to the deaths.
The identity of the 37-year-old man had not been released as of Monday because authorities were still working through notification procedures involving family members. Police said the investigation remains active, though detectives are treating the case as a suspected murder-suicide based on the evidence gathered at the scene. Officials have not disclosed whether there had been prior reports of disturbances at the apartment, whether any protective orders existed, or whether the family had recent contact with law enforcement. Investigators also have not said whether anyone else was present in the residence before officers arrived. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner is expected to determine the official causes and manners of death. Those findings, along with forensic testing and witness interviews, will help detectives complete their timeline of events.
The deaths occurred in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, where neighbors described the news as devastating. Family-related homicide investigations often involve extensive reviews of personal records, communications and witness accounts to determine motive and sequence of events. In this case, police have not announced a possible motive and have cautioned that the investigation is continuing. The deaths of children in homicide cases frequently draw heightened attention from both investigators and community members because of the lasting impact on families, schools and neighborhoods. Residents in the area expressed shock that such a tragedy could occur in a residential apartment complex. While homicide rates fluctuate from year to year, incidents involving multiple family members remain among the most closely examined cases because detectives must piece together relationships, timelines and evidence from several sources.
In the coming days, investigators are expected to continue reviewing forensic evidence recovered from the apartment and conducting follow-up interviews. The medical examiner’s findings may provide additional information about the timing of the deaths and other circumstances surrounding the case. Police have not announced any criminal charges because authorities believe the suspected shooter is among the deceased. Even so, homicide detectives will continue compiling evidence and preparing reports to formally close the investigation. Officials may release additional details once family notifications are complete and investigative steps are finished. Any future findings will likely be included in reports submitted to prosecutors and other agencies for review, a standard procedure in homicide investigations even when no prosecution is anticipated.
Neighbors struggled to find words after learning that two children had died. One resident told local television station KTLA that the situation was “tragic” and expressed sorrow for the boys and their family. The resident said the children “never had a chance to have a life,” reflecting the grief felt by many in the community. Throughout Sunday night and into Monday, investigators maintained a presence at the apartment complex while residents gathered information and spoke quietly among themselves. The scene stood in stark contrast to what neighbors described as a typical residential setting. For many who lived nearby, the deaths transformed an ordinary weekend evening into a moment of shock that will likely remain with the community long after the investigation concludes.
The case remains under investigation. Authorities are expected to release additional information after forensic reviews are completed and family notification procedures are finalized. For now, detectives continue working to determine exactly what happened before the deaths of Joseph and Greysen Chavez and the man believed to be their father.