Vista murder suicide: Kimberly Williams, Travis Whitt killed by her ex-boyfriend Richard Contreras
A woman found dead inside a Vista home early Monday has been identified by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office as Kimberly Williams.
Williams, 52, was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO).
The suspect, Richard Contreras, 52, also killed Kimberly’s brother, Travis Whitt, age 53, before turning the gun on himself.
“He had come back and gotten into the house and shot the girlfriend and her brother and himself in the house,” Lt. Greg Rylaarsdam said
Authorities say Contreras had been at the home earlier in the night and was involved in a physical fight with Whitt. It was so loud neighbors called authorities who saw Contreras leaving the scene and pulled him over.
“[He] said that he had come here and got beat up by the brother of the woman who lived here,” said Rylaarsdam. “Further investigation revealed that he was under the influence of, probably, alcohol so we arrested him and took him to the Vista station to be processed.”
Crime Scene Tape photo/edited pic from FBI.gov
He was released around 1 a.m.but hours later, investigators were called to the same home on Phil Mar Lane just after 5:30 a.m.
A friend of someone living at the home said she had arrived to find three people dead inside the house. “She had a key to the house, she’s a friend of the family,” the Lieutenant said.
“They are in different rooms throughout the house,” Lt. Greg Rylaarsdam said. “When you have multiple victims, processing takes exponentially longer. This is a tragic situation for everyone involved,” he added.
Sources say Whitt was at his sister’s house, because she was scared of Contreras who had a history of abuse.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (888)580-8477 or the Homicide Detail at (858)974-2321.
Photo/CRIME SCENE DO NOT CROSS / @CSI?cafe via wikimedia commons
