The man who police said shot and killed four members of his family before committing suicide at their southside home suffered from mental illness, his sister said.
Police identified the shooter in Tuesday’s mass slayings as Christopher Carrillo, 25.
His four victims were identified as his parents, Raúl Carrillo, 58, and Karen Saari, 53; his brother, Erick Carrillo, 32; and his niece, Isela Rodriguez, 17, who was Raul and Karen’s granddaughter.
Leilani Carrillo, Christopher’s sister and Isela’s mother, said she came from a very loving family. But she said Christopher had mental health issues that overcame him Tuesday.
Relatives wished they could have been at the home to stop the violence, Leilani Carrillo said. Christopher suffered from bipolar disorder, multiple personalities and schizophrenia, said his sister. Nonetheless, she said the slayings were a total shock because Christopher had been doing very well.
Neighbors said the family had lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years, and were quiet and kept to themselves. The parents would exchange greetings with neighbors, and Raúl would take daily morning walks and pick up litter on the streets and in the neighborhood.
On some days Christopher would help him.
Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villaseñor, who was at the scene Tuesday night, gave the following account:
Dispatchers received a 911 call shortly before 6 p.m. from a man who went to the house to meet with an acquaintance, looked inside and saw a body with obvious trauma.
When police arrived they found the five people dead of gunshot wounds in various rooms of the single-story house, which is in the 800 block of West Calle Medina. The neighborhood is south of West Valencia Road and west of South 12th Avenue at South Santa Clara Avenue.
Saari is listed in Pima County property records as the owner of the home. A friend said Saari worked for many years for the state’s Adult Protective Services department.
Officers had been called to the home before, but details weren’t immediately available.
Friends of Isela Rodriguez, the youngest victim at 17, stopped by the home Wednesday afternoon to place candles near the front gate. The house is surrounded by a block wall and has “No trespassing” and “Beware of the dog” signs posted.
Later, friends and family members stopped by to place a large white cross on the gate, along with flowers, in a rapidly growing memorial.
Isela had already been through tragedy in her young life. Her father, Juan Ruben Rodriguez, was shot to death at a west-side party about 15 years ago. The homicide has never been solved.
Isela frequently visited her father’s grave.
She was a student at the nearby Southgate Academy until recently. She apparently didn’t live at the house but may have been visiting her grandparents when the shootings happened.
Fellow student Tiana Sloan said Isela was very friendly, talkative and made new students at the school feel welcome.
Sylvia Calmelat, superintendent of the school, said Isela dropped out of the academy in March and was attending another school.
She said her students were affected by the “horrible tragedy” and that counselors would be available to talk to students if needed.
Neighbors were stunned. One, Araceli Zatarain, said Raúl Carrillo, who everyone knew as “Rudy,” also volunteered at a nearby church.
Zatarain said she didn’t hear any noises from the house Tuesday and didn’t know anything was wrong until a police officer came to her door telling her she needed to leave.
Officers were outside the Carrillo house and were yelling for Christopher to come outside, Zatarain said. She said she heard no gunshots.
Another neighbor said he saw Raúl and Erick Carrillo on Monday outside the home when he helped them change a flat tire on a car. He said when it was fixed, they drove off and that was the last time he saw them.
