SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - A Santee man shot and killed his estranged wife, then killed himself inside a Grantville home where his wife was staying with her sister and brother-in-law and their two young children, police said Monday.
The incident was reported about 10 p.m. Sunday in the 4800 block of Elsa Road, San Diego Police Lt. Mike Holden said. Responding officers found the bodies of 36-year-old Marguerite Elliot and 39-year-old James Elliot. Both apparently died from single gunshot wounds to their heads.
"Investigators have determined that the decedents were married and having marital problems," Holden said. Marguerite Elliot was spending the night at her sister's Elsa Road residence.
According to authorities, James drove his truck to Marguerite's sister's house in Grantville, where she had been staying, ran inside and shot his wife - then shot himself.
Her sister, her sister's husband and Marguerite's two kids were in the home at the time, but they were not physically hurt.
Victor Bermudes, knew James for a couple of years. He said James used to work for him as an electrician and described him as someone who was high strung and someone who made snap decisions.
"He would make angry comments at this mother when she was trying to look after the kids. He was just that way - something caused him to snap," he said.
James Elliot's mother said her son had just found out his wife had been having an affair. The couple was supposed to celebrate their 11th year anniversary on Saturday.
James' mother declined on-camera interview, but told News 8, "It was stupid of my son to do what he did. Whatever triggered to leave the house and act the way he did - it was total stupidity."
Police said Marguerite reached out to them and asked them to be at her home when she stopped by to preserve the peace, but because her home was in Santee, it was the Sheriff's Department jurisdiction. She planned on calling them on Monday.
Her family has asked for privacy.