Lousiana Sheriff, Joe Lopinto, recently received a bone-chilling message from a resident earlier this month, alerting him to a potential murder/suicide in progress.
Despite the best efforts made by police and emergency crews, they were unable to arrive on the scene fast enough to stop a local man, Tim Ragas, from murdering his entire family before turning the gun on himself.
Sheriff Joe Lopinto received a message alerting him to a potential murder/suicide earlier this month.
"We can't continue to live like this," Tim's message to the police began. "You'll find four bodies when you get here."
Tim died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but not before turning the weapon on his entire family.
As were the bodies of her 20-year-old son, Eric Thorneblom, and the couple's 13-year-old special needs child, Timothy Ragas Jr.
Mainly, the Sheriff couldn't confirm with absolute certainty whether or not Tim was the only shooter.
There was some evidence to suggest that the couple was suffering grave financial woe.
The deceased couple and their young son were discovered in another bedroom, down the hall from Eric's.
However, he declined to mention where Ragas was employed, stating just that it had been many years ago.
The situation was all the more peculiar, considering it was the second murder/suicide to take place in Jefferson Parish within 24 hours.
The bodies of Syril Boudoin, 21, and his younger brother Syrian Boudoin, 17, were discovered by their mother.
The younger brother, Syrian Boudoin, died as a result of being shot in the neck.
Both of the deceased were discovered by their mother, at 9:30 PM on Wednesday, February 8th.
Still, the fact that two murders/suicides took place within a timeframe of 24 hours is a grisly coincidence, to say the least.
You can dial 988, the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, to speak with a trained counselor. If you or anyone you know is facing a life-threatening emergency, be sure to dial 9-1-1.
