A woman staying with family members in a Grantville home was shot and killed by her husband before the man then took his own life, San Diego police homicide investigators said.
San Diego police reported Marguerite Elliot, 36, and her 39-year-old husband, James Elliot, were found inside a home on Elsa Road at approximately 10 p.m. Sunday. Each had suffered a single gunshot wound to the head.
The couple had just celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary on Saturday, Elliot's mother told NBC 7. They left behind two sons, a 10-year-old and 5-year-old, who now live with their grandmother.
Homicide investigators determined the couple was experiencing marital problems.
One neighbor, Victor Bermudes, described the husband to NBC 7 as a high-strung and temperamental person who made snap decisions but said he was a conscientious electrician.
"That came as a total surprise," said Bermudes.
On the night of their deaths, Marguerite went to stay at her sister's home for the evening. While she was in a bedroom, her husband entered the house unannounced and shot her, according to investigators.
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The body of James Elliot was found by police on the living room floor of the home, according to a police report.
Marguerite's sister and her family, including two children, were home at the time of the shooting but were not hurt.
Lt. Mike Holden said the Elliots were residents of Santee.
Holden said Marguerite had called the police to her workplace earlier in the day to request police protection when she returned to her home.
There was no information on what prompted the shooting or the victim's request for police protection.
The husband's black truck was parked outside the home on Elsa Road and, according to Holden, the shooting took place very quickly once he entered the house.
"This is a devastating event for the entire family," Holden added.
Investigators are treating the deaths as a murder-suicide.
“What on earth caused them to go off the deep end this way. My gosh, they had their whole life ahead of them and they were really happy with the two boys. It’s very, very depressing,” Bermudes said.
The paternal grandmother on Sunday night her son was crying and said his heart was pounding. She thought he had calmed down after she had reassured him that no matter what happened in the marriage, she would be there to help him with the children. She told him everything was going to be ok.
They fed the children, gave them baths and everyone went to bed.
Then, he left suddenly.
What happened next, she said, was “totally stupid.”
