When investigators did a welfare check at a Lakewood Ranch home at the request of a husband/father they said they found a mother and two children dead from a murder-suicide inside. FOX 13’s Kimberly Kuizon reports.
The Brief
A mother is accused of killing her two children before taking her own life inside a Lakewood Ranch home on Thursday.
According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies went to a home in the 8200 block of Pavia Way in Lakewood Ranch around 8:30 p.m. to do a welfare check at the request of the homeowner, who was out of town and found the bodies.
On Saturday, MCSO identified the mother as Monika Rubacha, 44, and her two children, Josh James, 14; and Emma James,11.
LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. – A mother is accused of killing her two children before taking her own life inside a Lakewood Ranch home on Thursday.
w:
According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies went to a home in the 8200 block of Pavia Way in Lakewood Ranch around 8:30 p.m. to do a welfare check at the request of the homeowner, who was out of town.
Upon arrival, deputies said that they saw circumstances that prompted them to enter the home.
Once inside the home, the deputies said they found a woman, identified as Monika Rubacha, 44, and her two children, Josh James, 14; and Emma James,11, dead in separate rooms from homicidal violence.
“It’s unimaginable that two children were killed inside their home by a parent, and then she took her own life,” stated Randy Warren with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
MCSO said that preliminary information indicates that all parties are accounted for and there is no threat to the community.
“We have no incidents at this address. What we have discovered that the family moved here from out of state, from Missouri, about 3 years ago, and we have not been out here for any calls. There’s really nothing there that would have indicated this would have happened,” said Warren.
What’s next:
Detectives are still processing the scene and reviewing evidence and said deputies have not responded to the home in the past.
Warren would not say how everyone died, but noted that it was a ‘violent scene’.
“It’s a total surprise and shock. This neighborhood is so quiet,” said Paul Henne, a resident of Lake Club.
As deputies continue their investigation, the neighborhood remains in shock.
“It’s a family community, with small kids it really hits you heard when you hear about that stuff happening,” said Henne.
The Medical Examiner will determine the official causes and manner of deaths.
What we don’t know:
The motive for the deaths has not been revealed.
“We really don’t know all that was in her frame of mind. But we are very confident all the parties that were involved in this are accounted for. There was no one else who entered the home or left the scene. As tragic as this is, it is really unimaginable that two children were killed in their home by a parent, and then she proceeded to take her own life,” said Warren.
What they’re saying:
“This is a horrible thing for the deputies to have to witness,” Warren said. “Even worse, for the father and the husband, who was on his way back from South America. He flew in this morning and had to be notified of what happened here. It’s an incredible emotional day for him. It’s not a good scene at all.”
The Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch sent FOX 13 this statement upon learning of the three deaths:
“We are aware of a tragic incident that occurred within The Lake Club. At this time, the matter remains under investigation by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. We do not have additional information to provide. Our hearts are with the family and all those affected during this incredibly difficult time. As this is an active investigation and out of respect for those involved, we will not be providing further comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
What you can do:
If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
News
THE LAST ADVICE ERNST EVER RECEIVED? A local driver says he cautioned the couple about one dangerous road near Pafuri, but what the vehicle’s CCTV allegedly captured afterward has left him devastated…
By Africa Crime Desk At the time, it was only a casual warning. The kind of thing locals say to tourists near Pafuri every day: take care on that road, avoid the quieter route too late, don’t assume the bush is empty just because it looks peaceful. But after Ernst and Dina Marais were found […]
“IT WAS JUST A CASUAL WARNING”: A local motorist who spoke with Ernst Marais before the tragedy says he never imagined that advice about a dangerous road would become his final memory of the couple… 👇
By Africa Crime Desk At the time, it was only a casual warning. The kind of thing locals say to tourists near Pafuri every day: take care on that road, avoid the quieter route too late, don’t assume the bush is empty just because it looks peaceful. But after Ernst and Dina Marais were found […]
THE EXTRA HOURS NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN: A Kruger employee who saw Ernst and Dina Marais before they left says their late departure felt unusual
The killers may have thought the river would hide everything. The bodies.The vehicle.The route.The reason Ernst and Dina Marais were targeted in one of the most shocking crimes in Kruger National Park’s history. But the case may not have ended at Crooks Corner. It may have started there. The retired couple from Mossel Bay, Ernst […]
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THEY LEFT THE CAMP? A campsite worker says the issue was never just that Ernst and Dina Marais departed late
The killers may have thought the river would hide everything. The bodies.The vehicle.The route.The reason Ernst and Dina Marais were targeted in one of the most shocking crimes in Kruger National Park’s history. But the case may not have ended at Crooks Corner. It may have started there. The retired couple from Mossel Bay, Ernst […]
BETH DUTTON’S ONE MOVE COULD START A WAR — AND RIP MAY BE BETRAYED FROM INSIDE THE RANCH
In the high-stakes world of the Dutton family saga, Episode 4 of the latest season delivers a seismic shift that leaves viewers reeling. Beth Dutton, the fiercely protective and often ruthless enforcer of the family’s legacy, makes a single calculated move that threatens to unravel decades of carefully guarded power. As the episode unfolds across […]
A MUDDY BANK, A BROKEN TRAIL, AND ONE DARK THEORY: The search dogs lost the scent near the water — but that may be where the real movement of Ernst and Dina began… 👇👇
The dogs followed the scent until the river took it away. That is the chilling claim now circulating around the murder of Ernst and Dina Marais, the retired Mossel Bay couple found dead near Crooks Corner in Kruger National Park. According to one reported account from the search effort, sniffer dogs tracking the couple’s route […]
End of content
No more pages to load
