Facebook post leads to discovery of murdered family
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DUNDEE, Ore. -- Investigators from the Newberg-Dundee Police Department said a 37-year-old man, his wife and their two kids were killed in what police are calling a murder-suicide.
Police confirmed Thursday that Randall Engels, 37, Amy Engels 35, and their children had died from gunshot wounds Wednesday afternoon.
Officials said they notified Newberg School District officials in an effort to help students deal with the loss of the two children, who were not named by police.
Officers checked the Engels' home on Wednesday after someone alerted them to a post on Randall's Facebook page that read "if she's gone i cant go on."
"(Police) knocked on the door, couldn't make entry," said Jeff Kosmicki of the Newberg-Dundee Police Department. "(Officers) saw some things that concerned them. They forced entry into the residence and found multiple homicides at the residence."
Kevin Ullom, who lives nearby, was stunned by the news.
"It's not something you see or hear about in Dundee," he said. "Everything's usually quite peaceful."
Kristina Swanson, who lives nearby, overheard one man crying at the scene.
"There was one man just sobbing and he was saying, making comments like, 'I don't know why they killed her,'" she said. "His daughter, so he must have been the father. He was really distraught."
Rose Stephens used to own the house across from the Engels house, but doesn't live there anymore. She still lives in the neighborhood and was walking her dogs up and down the street Thursday morning.
"It's very sad, yes," Stephens said. "Very terrible. Two small children and stuff, beautiful family ... heartbreaking."
Stephens said Amy Engels became mad at her "a few times, so I quit being friendly to them." She said whenever they crossed paths at a local store, Amy Engels wouldn't talk to her. At one point, Stephens had gone to the Engels house to chat, but that quickly went awry.
"I didn't realize they were fighting, so they were both mad at each other," Stephens said. "That's why she told me to get out ...Well, yeah, tempers flared a lot and stuff, yeah. There seemed to be problems, but I don't know all the details."
Along with the Newberg-Dundee Police Department, the Yamhill County Major Crimes Response Team, consisting of members from the Newberg-Dundee Police Department, Yamhill County Sheriff's Office, Yamhill County District Attorney's Office, were called out to assist.
Police confirmed Thursday that Randall Engels, 37, Amy Engels 35, and their children had died from gunshot wounds Wednesday afternoon.
Officials said they notified Newberg School District officials in an effort to help students deal with the loss of the two children, who were not named by police.
Officers checked the Engels' home on Wednesday after someone alerted them to a post on Randall's Facebook page that read "if she's gone i cant go on."
"(Police) knocked on the door, couldn't make entry," said Jeff Kosmicki of the Newberg-Dundee Police Department. "(Officers) saw some things that concerned them. They forced entry into the residence and found multiple homicides at the residence."
Kevin Ullom, who lives nearby, was stunned by the news.
"It's not something you see or hear about in Dundee," he said. "Everything's usually quite peaceful."
Kristina Swanson, who lives nearby, overheard one man crying at the scene.
"There was one man just sobbing and he was saying, making comments like, 'I don't know why they killed her,'" she said. "His daughter, so he must have been the father. He was really distraught."
Rose Stephens used to own the house across from the Engels house, but doesn't live there anymore. She still lives in the neighborhood and was walking her dogs up and down the street Thursday morning.
"It's very sad, yes," Stephens said. "Very terrible. Two small children and stuff, beautiful family ... heartbreaking."
Stephens said Amy Engels became mad at her "a few times, so I quit being friendly to them." She said whenever they crossed paths at a local store, Amy Engels wouldn't talk to her. At one point, Stephens had gone to the Engels house to chat, but that quickly went awry.
"I didn't realize they were fighting, so they were both mad at each other," Stephens said. "That's why she told me to get out ...Well, yeah, tempers flared a lot and stuff, yeah. There seemed to be problems, but I don't know all the details."
Along with the Newberg-Dundee Police Department, the Yamhill County Major Crimes Response Team, consisting of members from the Newberg-Dundee Police Department, Yamhill County Sheriff's Office, Yamhill County District Attorney's Office, were called out to assist.
