A community is devastated after a family of four was found dead Tuesday in what sheriff’s officials said appeared to be a murder-suicide in a Mission Viejo home.
The discovery was reported to the Orange County sheriff's department just after 9 a.m., and deputies responded to a residence in the 25600 block of Pacific Hills Drive when a relative couldn't get ahold of the family inside.
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Sheriff's officials said they found two females and two males dead inside the home, but did not disclose the ages or relationship among the deceased.
Neighbors said they heard gunshots ring out on Memorial Day, but deputies did not find the bodies unil Tuesday morning after a concerned relative called them to the home.
Shocked neighbors described them as the perfect family, a mother who homeschooled her children and a father who was involved in his church.
"They were a wonderful family and we just can't believe this has happened, it's absolutely devastating," said Pastor John Steward, who held a prayer service for several hundred friends of the family at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church.
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The couple were parents to two teenagers, neighbors said. One of the teen's classmates collapsed in the street when she saw the police tape around the house.
"I would not believe it. I mean it's possible, anything is possible these days, but not to that family," said a neighbor who asked to remain anonymous.
Officials have not said how they were killed, but neighbors described hearing loud booms.
"I thought we heard fireworks last night, and I thought it was from somebody's home," neighbor Shelly Andrews said. "I live up the street, and that's all I thought it was, fireworks."
Police said they are not looking for a suspect, and do not think there is any danger to residents in the area.
"They seemed to be pretty nice and loving people, but this is really...this is kind of a shocker," neighbor Anthony Zinser said.
Mission Viejo is a city of about 95,000 in the southern section of Orange County about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
