Illinois Dad Kills Wife, Her 2 Children Before Setting Home on Fire and Turning Gun on Himself to Commit Suicide

An Illinois dad allegedly killed his wife and their two children before setting their home on fire and turning the gun on himself to commit suicide.

Police said Carlos Gomez, 44, shot his 43-year-old estranged wife, Lupe Gomez, and two of his stepchildren, Briana Rodriguez, 22, and Emilio Rodriguez, 20, outside their home at Oak Forest on Friday.

People reported that Lupe was trying desperately to leave her marriage and get away from Carlos at the time of her murder. The Oak Forest Police said officers went to a home on Ann Marie Lane after receiving a call about a domestic disturbance at around 6:35 a.m.

When they arrive at the scene, police found two people shot in the driveway and a third in the road near the house. The police department said that after killing his wife and stepchildren, Carlos locked himself inside their home and set the house on fire.

Neighbor Brad Weert told the Chicago Sun-Times that about 10-foot high flames engulfed the home and sent loud popping noises in the neighborhood.

After the blaze was put out, Carlos was discovered by police inside the house. According to the medical examiner's office, the Illinois dad died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a suicide.

On the other hand, the other deaths were ruled homicides. Jorge Rodriguez, the father of Briana and Emilio, told ABC 7 Chicago that he's "broken" over his children's murder.

"I miss them... They were great kids. They're my life. Now, I can't right now, like my soul is not here," he noted.

Illinois Dad is Abusive, Victims' Biological Father Says

Hundreds came to Oak Forest on Monday to express love and solidarity and to grieve the loss of three lives, which, according to the families involved, was a tragedy that could have been avoided.

Jorge Rodriguez claimed that there were indicators that Carlos Gomez had harmed his kids, but these red flags went unheeded during custody hearings.

"We seen the signs. It was preventable and nobody stopped it," he noted. Dawn Guerrero, his fiancée, said they tried to alert the court officials but were unsuccessful.

"When I left that courtroom, I told them that if they didn't get these children away from him... that he was going to end up killing them, and here they are, gone," Guerrero noted.

According to NBC Chicago, despite being upset and angry about their deaths, Jorge preferred talking about the people his son and daughter were becoming.

Family, Friends Remember the Victim's of Illinois Dad

As people commemorate the lives of a mother and her two children, the family's home is now walled off with a growing memorial outside. The home, where Pedro Villanueva claimed his two cousins lived with their mom and stepdad, is adorned with tributes.

"After what happened, I have it in my mind, like, who would've done that to some innocent people," Villanueva said. Lesly Palafox, who visited her close friend's house, said it was a hard truth to accept.

Palafox noted that her close friend, Briana, was an amazing person, and she could not ask for anything else with Briana by her side. ABC Chicago reported that the two youngest children of Lupe, ages 13 and 15, managed to flee the gruesome encounter.

But they are now alone without parents and siblings, and those traumatic memories taint their house. A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise money for the victims' funerals.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Vigil Planned After Oak Forest Man Kills Family, Sets House on Fire in Murder-Suicide - From ABC 7 Chicago