Employees Heartbroken After Murder-Suicide At Sacramento County Retirement Home

GOLD RIVER (CBS13) — Tragedy struck Tuesday inside a Sacramento County retirement home. Deputies are investigating what led a man to shoot and kill a woman, believed to be his own wife, then turn the gun on himself.

The incident occurred at the Eskaton Lodge in Gold River around 1:15 Tuesday afternoon. Employees at the facility are heartbroken. Many learning what happened just hours before their night shift.

Deputies said it's unclear if the man ever made it inside the facility. His body was found outside and the woman believed to be his wife was found inside.

"There's no words and all you can do is wonder why," said Andrea Aguilera-Downey, a former employee

Aguilera-Downey called her friends who work there now, trying to understand what happened.

"I spoke to one of them that works there and she just couldn't wrap her head around what happened. Just in utter shock because it's not like that there," she said.

Right now the facility is not allowing visitors due to coronavirus. Aguilera-Downey says that can be hard for residents who are already feeling lonely.

"It can be very sad they get very depressed and they wonder why...I worked in memory care and they ask for their family a lot," Aguilera-Downey said.

Last year the Aegis Living Center in Carmichael suffered a similar tragedy. A husband shot and killed his wife, then himself. Deputies said their bodies were found inside a room in the memory care section.

In the meantime, employees at Eskaton are left reeling and wondering.

"It's a lovely facility, it's great. Everyone is great that works there," Aguilera-Downey said.