Denver Shooting: Police say Mayra Perez, 23, shot and killed two of her children, then herself

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Police investigate the scene of a shooting where a woman and two children were found dead and a third child wounded in Denver on Feb. 6, 2013

/ AP Photo/Ed Andrieski

(CBS/AP) DENVER - Police on Thursday identified 23-year-old Mayra Perez as the woman who allegedly shot and killed two of her young children before taking her own life in their Denver home earlier this week. A third child survived the attack but remains in critical condition.

The medical examiner's office said Perez's 4-year-old daughter died of multiple gunshot wounds and her son, who was nearly 2, died of a single gunshot wound.

The surviving child, 2-year-old Isabel Perez, was hospitalized in critical condition in a deep coma, said Dr. Claudia Kunrath of Denver Health.

Relatives said that on Tuesday night, Perez quarreled with her husband, who left their home to calm down. He found the bodies when he returned early Wednesday.

"Whatever reason drove her to this, it's going to be in God's hands," the children's uncle Tony Nunez said at a news conference. "He will be the judge of her."

Nunez didn't take questions and said his focus is on prayers for his niece. He thanked community members who have offered support.

Police have not discussed a possible motive. They said no arrests were made, and they weren't searching for any suspects.

More on Crimesider
Feb. 6, 2013 - Denver Shooting: Two children and one woman found dead inside Colo. home, police say

4 Comments +

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by qc-canada February 9, 2013 2:15 PM EST

See what a gun can do in the hands of someone who's intent on killing...

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by Sydonia56 February 10, 2013 5:00 PM EST: There are many objects anyone can use when their "intent" is killing. How many mothers stab their children to death because there are knives in the house, how many mothers suffocate their children with their bare hands or a pillow. How many squeeze their children to death after beating them with their fists or use something like a baseball bat because it is there? How many mothers drowned their children because there is a bath tub and water available? So you see it doesn't matter that there was a gun available, her intent was to kill her children to spite her husband, Anything in a house can be used as a deadly weapon when an adult has the intent on killing. Prayers for these lost souls and their father as he faces the rest of his days paying for her intentions


by FormerUSMCSergeant February 9, 2013 9:24 AM EST: How sad, indeed, when adults fight about rather than discuss and resolve issues.; Reply to this comment


by Koatzz February 8, 2013 10:22 PM EST: I will never understand why a parent takes the life of their child. In this case, it looks like she killed them to hurt her husband, the children's father.; Reply to this comment