SUNRISE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Police said a 5-year-old child witnessed a horrific act after a domestic dispute ended in a double murder and suicide.
Sunrise Police said, Sunday night, the child heard the fatal shots from inside a downstairs bedroom that claimed the lives of her mother and grandmother, at the townhouse near Del Rio Way and University Drive. According to Sunrise Police, 25-year-old Marcus Nathaniel Trotman shot and killed his wife, 30-year-old Danielle Lorenzo and her mother, 56-year-old Linda Scudera, before turning the gun on himself.
Trotman and his mother-in-law died at the scene. Lorenzo was transported to Broward General Hospital and later died.
Authorities said Lorenzo's 5-year-old daughter was inside the apartment when the shooting happened. "There had been a 5-year-old child in the residence who went next door to the neighbor, alerted the neighbor that a shooting was taking place, and that neighbor was the one who placed that 911 call," said Sunrise Police Sergeant Rodney Hailey.
The child was not injured. Police found a handgun inside the apartment. Outside a family member's home, a sign was hung on a palm tree in the front yard refusing comment.
What exactly motivated this shooting remains unclear, but in August of 2010, Sunrise Police, arrested Marcus for domestic violence against his wife. They married last year.
Neighbors described another side to Trotman. "[He] dressed up as the Easter Bunny for the kids in the community on Easter Sunday," said Alex Colon, "and I have pictures of my daughters. He's holding my daughters in the bunny outfit. I mean, he seemed like a nice guy."
But some people who knew the victims paint a different picture. "I would go over there and sit with them," said Paul Nugent. "Just the way that he talked to them and how he acted, I knew that something wasn't right with him ... I just can't believe it."
A babysitter is currently caring for the little girl and the Department of Children and Family is supervising this arrangement.
No comments:
Post a Comment