Teen witnesses father murder girlfriend and cousin, Selma police say
SELMA, Calif. -- Late Tuesday, Selma police had finally cleared the scene of a double murder-suicide. Investigators now say the frightening killings were witnessed by nearly a dozen family members.
Selma's Chief of Police, Greg Garner, says this was all likely over a recent break-up. The killer was high on meth and has a history of domestic violence, Garner said.
Police say 36-year-old Eduardo Felix Escobar killed his longtime girlfriend, Giovanni Loza Cervantes, and her cousin, Jessica Cervantes, in front of their family. Family friends say Jessica was a strong, caring woman. They say that's probably why she tried to stop Escobar outside her family's home.
Police say Escobar showed up to confront his longtime girlfriend. Not only did he bring their 14-year-old daughter along with him, he was armed and high on meth.
"She opened the front door of the residence to see her father shooting Jessica Cervantes several times," Chief Garner said.
Chief Garner also says that's when Escobar shot at the front door as his daughter tried to shut it on him. He then charged into the home and shot Giovanni, his girlfriend of 19 years, killing her.
The terror continued, Garner says, for the young teen. "He then struggled over the gun with his daughter, who perceived that her father was about to shoot her," he said. "He was able to wrestle the gun away from his daughter. Instead of shooting his daughter, he turned the gun on himself and fired one round."
Late Tuesday, after 30 hours, investigators finally dropped the red tarp concealing the grisly crime scene. Family members showed up to collect some belongings late in the evening, including a truck marked with a single bullet hole in the windshield.
Jessica Cervantes' husband is now left to raise their 18-month-old baby girl alone.
Giovanni Cervates and Eduardo Escobar leave behind seven children, the youngest is just a month old.
Police say six of those children and Giovanni's parents were home at the time of the shooting.
Family members are taking care of the children. And friends say funeral services are being planned for some time next week.
