There isn’t a lot of data around the tragedy of murder-suicides. I try to have empathy for people battling mental health issues, but this is a particularly hard one for me to muster any for. I believe wholeheartedly that suicide is not the answer, but I especially struggle with the idea of taking an unwilling victim along that path as well. It’s all so wrong in so many ways, and proper mental health care could be all it takes to stop these kinds of tragedies.
According to a University of Manchester study, perpetrators are typically male (88%) with most victims being female (77%). According to the study’s authors, who took a small case sample, 62% had mental health problems that interlinked with domestic violence. The mental health issues they experienced varied, but a large portion of them only saw a general practitioner and not a mental health specialist.
All of that said, it is particularly harrowing when a mother does it not only to her husband and mother-in-law, but her toddler as well. And frankly, it happens more often than most would imagine.
According to People, Ziyi Lu, 35, took the lives of her mother-in-law Kegang Xie, 69, her husband Danxiong Gao, 40, and her 2-year-old child. The Prince William County police said in a statement that the three victims were found dead in their Woodbridge, Virginia, home. The victims all died from “knife-related injuries,” and believe Lu was the perpetrator. NBC 4 Washington stated that a man believed to be the child’s grandfather was the one who found the bodies. The outlet stated that investigators believe he was in the home, downstairs, when the killings occurred upstairs.
“He’s distraught, as you can imagine, seeing these things, but he’s being fully cooperative with us,” Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham, told the outlet. Newsham also said, “It’s horrific as you can imagine for everybody involved. For the family, for the officers who had to respond and for this community.”
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PWCPD is currently investigating a murder/suicide that occurred at a home on Vale Ct in Woodbridge. Four deceased individuals were located inside the residence including the presumed suspect and a small child. There is no active threat. More info; pic.twitter.com/NsYtanh6UJ
— Prince William County Police Department (@PWCPolice) February 21, 2026
People noted that police believe they found the murder weapon on site, but have not uncovered any motivations for the brutal scene that awaited officers.
“Compare it to the worst possible nightmare you’ve ever had,” Newsham told WTOP News. “We don’t know the exact cause or the motive in this case, but just to see a family destroyed like this is horrific.”
NBC 4 Washington verified that police had never been called to the home for incidents before. They assured the community that there is no outstanding threat and they have no reason to believe any other individuals were involved. Officials are investigating if mental illness, alcohol, or drugs could be behind the brutal killings.
