On January 27, 2024, a tragic incident unfolded in Granada Hills, California, resulting in the deaths of four family members. The Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call at a residence on the 11600 block of Lerdo Avenue around 6:50 p.m. Upon arrival, officers forced entry into the home after receiving no response and were directed by a witness to the victims' locations.
Inside the residence, authorities discovered the bodies of 79-year-old Rodrigo De Leon, his wife, 80-year-old Arabella De Leon, and their two adult children: 53-year-old Rodrigo Rodriguez De Leon and 49-year-old Merceditas "Mimi" De Leon. Investigations revealed that Rodrigo Sr. fatally shot his wife and children before taking his own life in what has been classified as a murder-suicide.
A surviving family member, identified as the couple's adult daughter with special needs, managed to barricade herself in a room during the shooting and contacted authorities. She was unharmed in the incident.
Merceditas "Mimi" De Leon was remembered as a beloved mother, sister, friend, and daughter. Born in 1974 in Kansas City, Missouri, she grew up in the Bay Area and spent her adult years in Los Angeles. She was the pillar of a strong extended family and mother to two children, Ravel and Chloe.
The motive behind the tragic events remains under investigation. The incident has left the Granada Hills community in shock, as neighbors and friends struggle to comprehend the devastating loss of a family that had been part of the neighborhood for decades.
