In the early morning hours of a Friday in Lawrenceville, Georgia, a long-term marriage tragically ended in a violent outburst that left a husband and wife dead. The lives of Lucio Jimenez, a 51-year-old male, and his 43-year-old wife, Paula Gonzalez, were cut short in what police have described as a murder-suicide, leaving their three children without parents.
The couple had been married for nearly two decades, and the shocking events unfolded within their family home.
The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. on August 28, 2015, at their residence on Laurelton Circle. According to the accounts given to police by their children, aged 8, 14, and 16, who were all present in the home at the time, a physical altercation had broken out between their parents. The argument escalated horrifically when Gonzalez retrieved a handgun and fired multiple shots at Jimenez, killing him. In the chaotic moments of the shooting, one of their daughters was grazed by a stray bullet.
Following the shooting of her husband, Paula Gonzalez then turned the gun on herself, ending her own life. When Gwinnett County police arrived at the home, they discovered the bodies of both Jimenez and Gonzalez. Their injured daughter was subsequently taken to a local hospital for treatment of what was described as a superficial wound. The investigation into the specifics of what led to the fatal altercation was initiated, with authorities noting a previous domestic dispute call had been made to the residence in February of that same year.
The three children, having witnessed the traumatic events, were placed in the care of family members, with the Division of Family and Children Services becoming involved in their welfare. As the investigation proceeded, the case was classified as a murder-suicide, with Paula Gonzalez identified as the sole suspect in the death of Lucio Jimenez. Consequently, with the perpetrator deceased, there were no arrests to be made, and the investigation focused on understanding the circumstances that led to the tragic end of the couple's lives.
