A woman wounded in a murder-suicide in Valinda that left her brother and son dead has died at a hospital, authorities said Wednesday.
The shooting occurred about 7:30 p.m. Monday in a home the three were sharing in the 1800 block of Gretta Avenue, authorities said.
Investigators earlier had identified 18-year-old Ezekiel Griego as having been shot and killed by his uncle, 64-year-old Thomas Stratton.
Ezekiel’s mother, 60-year-old Jeanita Griego, who is Stratton’s sister, was critically wounded in the shooting and had been hospitalized on life support, said Deputy Martin Crowder of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. She died about 9 p.m. Tuesday, coroner’s officials reported.
Stratton died at the shooting scene from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Deputy Tracy Koerner said. Ezekiel Griego died at a hospital.
Deputies went to the residence on Gretta Avenue in response to a 911 call from a person at the location who said he saw the suspect shoot his mother and his brother, then ran from the house believing the suspect was going to shoot him next, Koerner said.
Deputies and Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics went to the scene, and both victims were taken to a hospital, said Koerner.
The apparent murder weapon was recovered at the scene. The motive for the shooting was not disclosed.
According to sheriff’s investigators, there appeared to be an ongoing dispute between brother and sister that may have been related to their living arrangement, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported.
“Looks like (it was) building up over time. He was upset,” sheriff’s homicide Lt. Jon Corina told the Tribune, adding that the sister wanted Stratton out of the house. He said deputies were called to the house about a month ago in response to a disturbance, but he didn’t know the details.
Jeanita Griego and her 18-year-old son were sitting in the back patio area Monday night when Stratton shot them in the heads, Corina said. Griego’s older son heard the shooting and saw the aftermath.
Stratton then went back to his room and shot himself in the head, according to the lieutenant.
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call Corina of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.