Deputy Arrived Before Shooting that Left 4 Women Dead

The story about apparent San Clemente murder-suicide of a mother, her two daughters and a grandmother took an odd twist today, as more details were released. An Orange County sheriff's deputy had arrived just before the shooting and heard the shots.

The LA Times pieces the hauntingly grotesque story together: "A deputy responded and pulled up to the house. She saw the grandmother, Bonnie Hoult, standing on the curb, holding hands with a small child, [OC Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim] Amormino said. When Hoult saw the deputy, she walked briskly toward the open garage, and the deputy followed, Amormino said. Hoult walked into the house and tried to shut a door, when the deputy was able to put her foot through the crack. But Hoult was able to push the foot out of the way and locked the door. Seconds later, the deputy heard gunshots."

Investigators still have not been able to determine who pulled the trigger, but the gun was registered to Hoult.