Investigators sort out details of murder-suicide that left entire family dead

New details are slowly beginning to emerge in the apparent murder-suicide that left an entire Wilmington family dead; among the victims, five children. KPCC's Susan Valot says it happened this morning in a neighborhood a few blocks from Banning Park.

Susan Valot: The street's lined with large homes topped by red tile roofs. Now it's also blocked off by yellow police tape. A wooden sign with the Lupoe family name hangs outside the house where investigators say a father, Ervin Lupoe, killed his wife, Ana, and their 2-year-old twin sons, 5-year-old twin daughters, and 8-year-old daughter before turning the gun on himself.

LAPD Captain William Hayes says Lupoe faxed a suicide note to a local TV station and then called police to report his family was dead before he killed himself.

Captain William Hayes: The gentleman had a suicide note that indicated a business dispute between himself and Kaiser Permanente in West Los Angeles.

Valot: That's where Lupoe and his wife worked as medical technicians until recently when both were let go. Investigators are checking to see why they were fired. L.A. Unified School District Police Chief Larry Manion says their kids went to school nearby.

Chief Larry Manion: Regrettably, these were students of L.A. Unified several weeks ago. They had checked out. I'll say no further.

Valot: The principal of Crescent Heights Elementary School told a local TV station that the family removed their kids from school and told her they were moving to Kansas. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says regardless, now is the time to step back and mourn the deaths of five children.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: Whatever was the cause of the desperation that triggered this violence, there's, there's help out there and we want the people of this city to know that there's help out there. There's nothing, nothing, no option so horrible that it could make you do something as horrific as this.

Valot: Villaraigosa points out there's been an increase in violence in Los Angeles as the economy has gotten worse. He says domestic violence tends to increase during tough economic times. But he also says there are lots of places to get free help.

Note: Some of the resources available:

Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
(800) 854-7771

Suicide Prevention Hotline
(877) 7-CRISIS or (877) 727-4747 (toll-free in L.A. & Orange counties)