Murder-suicide gunman shoots wife and another man as victim’s children in adjoining motel room hear gunshots that killed their father

Two Arizona men are dead after a husband found his wife in a hotel room with another man, whose five children were in the next room.

The White Mountain Independent reports that Justin Taylor, 34, of Springerville, and Juan Antonia Lopez, 37, were both found dead after Taylor is believed to have shot Lopez along with Taylor’s wife Alissa Taylor in a motel room before turning the gun on himself. Alissa survived the shooting. Police told the newspaper that Lopez’s five children were in the adjoining room, and that one of those children called police to report the shooting.

Springfield police responded to a report of a shooting at an unnamed motel just before 5 a.m. on Saturday, November 3, to find Lopez dead and Alissa Taylor injured in the room. According to the report, Justin Taylor reportedly shot himself on a sidewalk after killing Lopez and attempting to kill his wife with a rifle.

Law enforcement sources reportedly believe that Taylor, who had learned that his wife was planning to leave him, went to the motel where his wife was with Lopez and busted into the room, shooting them both before shooting themselves. Alissa Taylor was reportedly able to run away from the room.

“The suspect Justin Taylor forced his way into the room in which Alissa Taylor and a Juan Antonia Lopez were staying,” Mr. Taylor then shot both Taylor and Lopez multiple times,” Police Chief Mike Nuttall said in a press release obtained by the White Mountain Herald.

“Ms. Taylor was able to escape the room and seek refuge. Mr. Taylor then walked outside the room and appeared to have taken his own life. The children were escorted to another room in the motel by officers and help was called for them. None of the children in the room were injured. It is unsure at this time the relationship of Ms. Taylor and Mr. Lopez.”

Police have not disclosed any further details about the murder-suicide at this time.

 

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