An 11-year-old in Washington state called the police on Halloween after their parents fought violently and ended up dead, while the child was in another room playing video games with headphones on.
On October 31, around 6:05 p.m., the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from Olympia Way in Longview. When officers arrived, they found a man and a woman in the kitchen who had both died from their injuries, according to a statement from the office on Thursday, November 7.
First responders from Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue tried to give medical help but couldn’t save them. The couple was later identified as Juan Antonio Alvarado Saenz, 38, and Cecilia Robles Ochoa, 39.
The following day, the sheriff’s office posted on Facebook, saying there was “no ongoing threat to the public.” Local news outlets, including The Oregonian and KATU, reported the story.
The 11-year-old child, who was wearing earbuds and playing video games in another room, did not see the fight. The child called the police after finding the injured parents, one of whom had been shot. Authorities then searched the home and learned that the couple had “relationship issues” and were planning to separate.
Autopsies showed that Alvarado Saenz died from multiple stab wounds to the chest, while Robles Ochoa died from both gunshot and stab wounds. Detectives found a knife and a pistol, which had been stolen from Alvarado Saenz’s workplace, at the scene. The gun was not reported missing until after this event.
The sheriff’s office said there was “no evidence of any third-party involvement.” The autopsy and scene investigation indicated that both people were attacking each other, but investigators could not determine who started the fight.
