Last Updated: Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 6:00 PM
Anchorage police have identified the two adults and two children found dead in a South Anchorage four-plex Wednesday.
In a Thursday morning press conference, the Anchorage Police Department identified the deceased as 24-year-old Curtis Young, III; 27-year-old Desiree Leandra Gonzalez; 4-year-old Zaiden E. Young and 17-month-old Zarielle A. Young. They were killed in what appears to be an “isolated domestic violence-related incident,” according to police.
All the family members had suffered gunshot wounds, and a gun was found in the home, according to APD Sgt. Mike Couturier, but, he said, it’s too early in the investigation to know what led to the shootings.
Court documents suggest there may have been past problems in the couple’s relationship.
In 2011 Curtis Young pled no contest to a domestic violence assault charge with a victim identified only as “D.G.” The records show Young completed a state-ordered Domestic Violence Intervention Program that same year.
Four months later, police were again called to the couple’s home where Gonzalez told officers Curtis choked her until she passed out two separate times. Curtis pled guilty to fourth-degree assault and criminal mischief.
At a press conference Thursday morning police wouldn’t say who they think may have killed the family but they did say a weapon was found at the scene and they were not looking for any additional suspects. Police did say a murder-suicide was one possibility.
Gonzalez’s father discovered the deceased after he told police he became concerned when Young didn’t show up to drop the children off in the morning, which was his routine, according to a statement from APD spokeswoman Anita Shell.
Gonzalez didn’t answer the phone when her father called, so he went to the home on East 74th Avenue.
“[T]he doors were locked, so he entered through a window and discovered the family dead,” Shell wrote.
The State Medical Examiner’s Office will perform autopsies to determine causes of death, but Couturier said authorities are not searching for a suspect.
“It seems that the entire incident occurred within the residence,” Couturier said. “At this point in the investigation we believe this is an isolated domestic violence related incident and are not looking for any additional suspects.”
Few other details were available Thursday morning as police continue to investigate the case.
“This was a very catastrophic scene,” Couturier said.
–This is a developing story.