Police suspect murder-suicide in 4 Texas deaths

CROWLEY, Texas — Outside the Crowley home where four people were found dead Sunday, a little girl had tears streaming down her face Monday afternoon.

She was grappling with some very adult pain.

"As a parent, it's very difficult to explain to (11-year-old girls,) 'Your best friend is not here anymore,'" said the girl's father, Juan Cruz.

Less than 24 hours earlier, Crowley police had discovered four bodies inside the house on Kennedy; a man, two women and a little girl.

Early Tuesday morning, the medical examiner released the names of the deceased and the causes of death for three of them: Xiomara Leon, 34, died of multiple gunshot wounds; Linda Gonzalez, 18, died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head, and Yasmine Zavala, 13, died of strangulation. Samuel Morales, 36, was also identified, but no cause of death has been listed.

Police said in a news conference Tuesday morning they believe the case is a murder-suicide and said evidence at the scene indicated Morales died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, though the medical examiner has not confirmed that.

According to police, the younger victims — Gonzalez and Zavala — were the daughters of Xiomara Leon, and Leon was in a four-year relationship with Morales, who was not the biological father of the children.

Police said Morales had a concealed handgun license and no criminal history, and that, to their knowledge, Child Protective Services had never visited the home.

A 9-year-old boy, identified as Leon's son, made the gruesome discovery at the home. He was released to family members Monday after being put briefly in CPS custody. Police said Tuesday the boy did not witness the events, but he did see the aftermath.

Yasmine Zavala was Jimena Cruz's best friend. Monday, her father brought her to the scene so she could leave flowers and a letter to her dear friend.

"I said I wish I could just see her smile again, see her crazy laugh," Jimena said of her letter. "I think it's weird and it's crazy. I don't get why this happened. But God knows, and it was her time to go."

Zavala was a student in Crowley Independent School District, and Gonzalez graduated from Crowley High School last year.

As Cruz, a sixth-grader, tries to make sense of it all, so do Crowley police. Perry says it could be weeks until the public knows exactly what happened as they wait on forensics and information from the medical examiner's office.

"We loved her so much, we miss her," Jimena Cruz said of Yasmine Zavala. "We just wish she was with us right now."

"They always sit together on the bus, so now who's gonna sit with her? Nobody," Juan Cruz said. "So it's very hard for me to explain to her."