Galena Park residents reeling after 3 teens killed in murder-suicide
HOUSTON - A Galena Park neighborhood is still shaken up after four people were killed in a murder-suicide Saturday night.
BACKGROUND: 4 killed during apparent murder-suicide in Galena Park: Sheriff
It happened on the 2000 block of Second Street just before 11 p.m. Three of the victims were teenage girls.
A GoFundMe supporting the family identifies two of them as sisters: 13-year-old Melany Torres and 19-year-old Sayuri Gill. Loved ones say Gill was six months pregnant.
MORE CRIME-RELATED NEWS COVERAGE
The third victim is identified as the girls’ 14-year-old neighbor, Laisha Perez.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the 38-year-old shooter was the live-in boyfriend of the sisters' mother.
Investigators said he shot and killed the teens before turning the gun on himself. His motive remains under investigation.
"We’re told that other than him having a dating relationship with the female homeowner for the last two-plus years. He wasn’t the father of anyone of the teens that were killed here today," said Gonzalez.
MORE STORIES OUT OF GALENA PARK
Authorities said a 12-year-old girl and 1-year-old girl were also inside the home during the time of the deadly shooting but managed to escape.
Amy Ortega, who lives a few houses down from the victims, said she called 911 when they discovered the 12-year-old girl running down the street naked, while holding the baby.
"She was saying he killed my sisters. He killed my friend. Why my friend? My friend was just visiting. He was crazy. It was jealousy. He killed them for jealousy," said Ortega.
Ortega says she and her six kids have been so disturbed by the incident, they're now having trouble sleeping.
"Now I'm scared to go to sleep. I'm scared to turn off the light, like her voice, her yelling, her crying, I have it in my mind still. It’s hard because I have girls. My daughters, they say they’re okay, but I know they’re not okay because they saw everything; they heard everything she was seeing," said Ortega.
The family declined to speak on camera and is asking for privacy during this difficult time.
Officials with Galena Park ISD said they are offering counselors for students on campus from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Students who wish to seek help during after-school hours can text "SUPPORT" to 832-479-2135.