A California family is coming together to grieve after an immense loss. A young woman awoke one morning hearing gunshots ringing out in her home. Suddenly, her father, Hector Lionel Alfaro, appeared in her room. He had a gun. Although he shot at her several times, none of the bullets hit her. Sadly, her mother and younger sister weren’t so lucky. Instead, they were the victims of a murder-suicide.
While an investigation is underway to understand what led to the shootings, the young woman and her older sister are forced to face the reality of life without two people who were incredibly important to them.
The shooting took place around 8 a.m. on January 15, 2026, NBC Los Angeles reported. When deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrived, they found a 19-year-old woman running out of the home. She was later identified as Alfaro’s oldest daughter. She told deputies “her dad shot at her,” according to the sheriff’s department.
Inside the home, they found 52-year-old Hector Alfaro in the den with a gunshot wound in his upper torso. His 48-year-old wife and 17-year-old daughter were found in separate bedrooms, also with gunshot wounds in the torso. They were all declared dead at the scene. Authorities recovered two firearms from the home.
The 19-year-old, who has not been identified, said she woke up to the sound of gunshots. “Luckily, she was a survivor of this tragedy. Just trying to deal with the consequences of their father’s doing,” family member Jorge Fuentes told NBC Los Angeles. “It’s hard to process. Pain. Anger. How a person is supposed to be a protector and a father to those girls would have done something so hideous.”
During a news conference immediately following the shooting, the young woman was described as “extremely distraught” as she ran out of her family’s home. “Obviously this incident is a tragedy to the City of Lakewood. Lakewood is one of the safest cities in L.A. County,” Capt. Dan Holguin said during the news conference.
According to KABC, the 19-year-old woman saw Hector Alfaro shoot himself in front of her.
Alfaro’s wife was identified as Roxana Rodriguez, and the 17-year-old was identified as Sienna Alfaro, also known as Lilly.
The teen was remembered by her soccer teammate as a “ray of sunshine.” Hazel Ferman told KABC. “She’s a very jolly person. Her smile would bright up the room. Her energy was just out of this world.”
Desiree Alvarez, the oldest daughter of Roxana Rodriguez, addressed the loss of her family in a statement to CBS LA.
“My mom Roxana, was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. To know her was to love her,” she said. “I’m at a loss for words on how much she meant to me. She was my entire world, her and my sisters.”
Alvarez, who did not live in the home, also spoke about her sister Lilly, who was 10 years younger. “She was so, so loved. By her friends, her family, babies, animals- you name it,” she wrote, per CBS LA. “My heart hurts to even accept what is now our reality. But I share some comfort in knowing that they are together and not alone, because I don’t think they would have been able to live a life without each other.”
Alvarez’s husband started a GoFundMe account in light of the tragedy, and it’s raised more than $95,000 just far. “This fundraiser is to support the surviving siblings as they begin the long journey of healing—helping with immediate needs (funeral services), counseling, living expenses, and creating some stability during an incredibly painful time,” the page reads.
Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
