Police investigate murder-suicide scene

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- Two children were killed by their own father, who then turned the gun on himself, and the boy's mother saw the tragedy unfold.

Police said the estranged husband of Victoria Flores Zavala designed the shooting that way. They said he wanted to make his wife suffer. She was the mother of two children, Mario and Eduardo. The boys were 12 and 11 years old.

Victoria told police both children were asleep inside the home while she was watching television at around 1:50 a.m. Saturday morning. She said she heard a commotion and went to check on her sons. That's when she said she found her estranged husband trying to strangle the children.

Police said he used a rope to strangle his sons. One boy was found dead in a screened in porch outside the house. The other boy was found dead in the kitchen. The 11-year-old boy, Mario, was also shot multiple times before the father, Isidro Zavala turned the gun on himself. Victoria saw the entire thing happen.

Isidro's best friend, Mariano Batalla said he spoke to him Friday before the incident occurred. He said he had no idea what would follow. "He told me he had to do something important," said Batalla. "I said, OK. I spoke to him like at 6 p.m. because we were supposed to go together to a party, but he didn't want to go. He left the truck in my driveway and left something, a paper, but the police got it."

"When we first got home," said neighbor Billy Aslin, "my dad looked like he was gonna get out of the car, but then like after one minute or two minutes, he heard a gunshot. He looked around, and he didn't see no one. Then he saw the mom coming out like wearing pajamas and screaming like asking for help."

Police also said they found a bag inside the family's home. Inside the bag was another gun with extra ammunition. They said the bag also had duct tape and cutting shears. They also found a note Isidro Zavala had written to his eldest son dated Jan. 31. Police also found another emotional note dated about a week ago.

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