MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. - Marital problems appear to have led a Manatee County father to kill his wife, his stepdaughter and himself, according to the Manatee Sheriff’s Office.
“It’s devastating. I can’t believe we didn’t hear about it in the community yet,” said Vanessa Wisnowski, who lives in the same subdivision as the couple.
The community of Central Park in Lakewood Ranch is slowly hearing about the tragedy at one of their neighbor’s homes Sunday night.
“It’s apparent there was friction between them, but what caused him to kill his wife and her daughter, we probably will never know,” said Randy Warren, PIO for the Manatee Sheriff’s Office.
The Manatee Sheriff’s Office says 53-year-old James Bennet killed his 35-year-old wife, Silvana, around 10 p.m. Sunday night and her 16-year-old daughter, Andrea Barberena-Rojas, and then shot himself. His mother witnessed it all.
“We’re hearing from the mother of the suspect,” said Warren. “It was a pretty heated argument. It appears to be domestic issues between James and his wife.”
According to the Manatee Sheriff’s Office, Andrea almost made it out alive.
“It appears to fire shots at the 16-year-old as she tried to get away,” said Warren.
Andrea was a 10th grader at Lakewood Ranch High School.
Neighbors are stunned.
“I’m very surprised something like that happened in this neighborhood. It’s a new neighborhood everyone seems nice family oriented. I’m shocked it actually occurred,” said Mark, who lives in the same subdivision of Central Park.
Wisnowski added, “There will be meetings about it in the community, taking it further into people who need mental help.”
The grandmother was able to take the couple’s 3-year-old daughter, Caitlyn, out of the home. The family had celebrated her 3rd birthday on Sunday.
Neither the grandmother nor child were injured. The 3-year-old is staying with family while DCF investigates.
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