EL MONTE - A 42-year-old woman was killed by her tenant Monday night before he killed himself, sheriff's investigators said.
Jose Martinez, 68, shot Maria Leticia Barrera in her home in the 3100 block of Vane Avenue sometime before 11:30 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which is helping El Monte Police investigate.
The two bodies were found in the same room, Sheriff's Lt. Dave Coleman said.
Neighbors said Barrera was the primary resident of the single-family house, but she rented out rooms to a number of people.
Martinez was a tennant.
A neighbor said Martinez had expressed romantic interest in Barrera in the past, but she rejected his advances.
"She told me, 'this guy won't leave me alone,'" neighbor Gloria Perez said.
Perez said Barrera kicked Martinez out of the apartment about six months ago, but he appeared to have moved back in about a month ago.
"As best we can tell, he was strictly a boarder and there was no romantic interest between the two," Coleman said.
Other tenants who live in the garage discovered the bodies and called police, Coleman said.
Barrera lived in the house for at least 15 years, neighbors said.
They said she was very friendly and helpful and looked out for children in the neighborhood. She had two adult daughters.
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