Neighbors' reactions to the murder-suicide in Boca Raton

According to police, two people died in Boca Raton on the night of Monday to Sunday as a result of a subsequent murder.

Investigators said the shooting occurred around 10 p.m. at an apartment on Northeast 45th Street.

According to police, a man and a woman were found dead in their home shortly after the woman called a family member and said her husband wanted to kill her.

WFLX reporter Zitlali Solache spoke to the couple's neighbors.

“I'm pretty surprised,” said neighbor Cole Gamble. “It's quiet in this area. Not much usually happens here.”

According to police, the family member could hear interference in the background while on the phone and came to the residence with other relatives.

Jason McGuire, a neighbor, witnessed the scene.

“Shocking, shocking is the word,” McGuire said. “I saw a gentleman trying to break the window and the woman said in Spanish that her mother was inside, injured.”

After arriving at the home, a family member contacted Boca Raton Police.

Officers arrived and forced their way into the apartment. They found the woman and her husband dead, apparently from gunshot wounds. Police said a firearm was found nearby.

The suspect was identified as Gilbert Cruz Fernandez, 62, and the victim as Ana Josefa Pardo Gonzalez, 60, both of Boca Raton.

“They were always polite and courteous,” McGuire said. “Never in your life would you have thought that these two people would have any problems.”

According to police, preliminary investigations revealed that the woman was shot by her husband before he turned the gun on himself.

“It's tragic that this happened,” McGuire said. “Hopefully something like this never happens again.”

If you have any information regarding this ongoing investigation, police are asking the public to contact Detective Alfredo Lima at (561) 620-6246.

If you or someone you know may be a victim of domestic violence, you should call 211 or the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119.

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