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DUARTE (CNS) — Police released the names today of three victims of a shooting homicide allegedly committed by a terminally ill ex-Marine.
Wanda Smith, 41, the wife of the suspect, Murray Smith, Jr., 33, the son of the suspect and Joshua Harmon, 85, the father-in-law of the suspect were found shot to death at their Duarte home yesterday, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy Bill Spear.
Murray Matthew Smith, 56, a terminally ill ex-Marine was charged with allegedly shooting his wife, son and father-in-law with an assault rifle, sheriffs said.
Smith will be arraigned on first degree murder charges on Tuesday at the Alhambra Municipal Court, 150 W. Commonwealth Ave., sheriffs said.
Smith was arrested at a convenience store in nearby Irwindale about three hours after the bodies of the three deceased were found yesterday in Smith's home, police said.
The bodies were discovered about 6 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Smith is being held at the Temple Sheriff's Station without bail, police said.
A niece and sister also at home were able to escape Smith's shooting spree, police said.
"My sister called me -- I was at work in the Valley. She said you need to come down here because dad went crazy and killed everybody," one of the man's surviving relatives, stepson Mark Bushnell, told KCAL at the scene of the crime in the 900 block of Lewiston Avenue.
"And I said `what do you mean he killed everybody,' and she said he killed mom, he killed grandpa and he killed Joe ... my brother," he said.
He told the TV station his stepfather used an AK-47 military assault rifle, and deputies said a rifle was recovered when Smith was arrested.
According to authorities, the victims were shot multiple times.
"My sister said that there was an argument between (the stepfather) and my mom, and somehow punches flew. My brother and (the stepfather) started fighting. My brother pinned him, and he went to the garage and got his gun," he said.
He told reporters his stepfather had threatened the family with guns before.
Bushnell said his stepfather was an ex-Marine and Vietnam War veteran who is terminally ill.
Copyright © 2004 KABC-TV and CNS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Last Updated: Mar 14, 2004
DUARTE (CNS) — Police released the names today of three victims of a shooting homicide allegedly committed by a terminally ill ex-Marine.
Wanda Smith, 41, the wife of the suspect, Murray Smith, Jr., 33, the son of the suspect and Joshua Harmon, 85, the father-in-law of the suspect were found shot to death at their Duarte home yesterday, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy Bill Spear.
Murray Matthew Smith, 56, a terminally ill ex-Marine was charged with allegedly shooting his wife, son and father-in-law with an assault rifle, sheriffs said.
Smith will be arraigned on first degree murder charges on Tuesday at the Alhambra Municipal Court, 150 W. Commonwealth Ave., sheriffs said.
Smith was arrested at a convenience store in nearby Irwindale about three hours after the bodies of the three deceased were found yesterday in Smith's home, police said.
The bodies were discovered about 6 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Smith is being held at the Temple Sheriff's Station without bail, police said.
A niece and sister also at home were able to escape Smith's shooting spree, police said.
"My sister called me -- I was at work in the Valley. She said you need to come down here because dad went crazy and killed everybody," one of the man's surviving relatives, stepson Mark Bushnell, told KCAL at the scene of the crime in the 900 block of Lewiston Avenue.
"And I said `what do you mean he killed everybody,' and she said he killed mom, he killed grandpa and he killed Joe ... my brother," he said.
He told the TV station his stepfather used an AK-47 military assault rifle, and deputies said a rifle was recovered when Smith was arrested.
According to authorities, the victims were shot multiple times.
"My sister said that there was an argument between (the stepfather) and my mom, and somehow punches flew. My brother and (the stepfather) started fighting. My brother pinned him, and he went to the garage and got his gun," he said.
He told reporters his stepfather had threatened the family with guns before.
Bushnell said his stepfather was an ex-Marine and Vietnam War veteran who is terminally ill.
Copyright © 2004 KABC-TV and CNS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Last Updated: Mar 14, 2004