The Corsicana Police Department released the names of the victims and shooter of the double murder-suicide who died three days before Christmas in the 2100 block of Navarro Dr.
Police said they received a call that a woman, 27-year-old Vanesa Mendoza, was arguing with her estranged husband, 36-year-old Rosalio Mendoza, outside the home and he had a gun. They were also told three children were inside the residence.
The caller, 28-year-old Nancy Castillo, told police that she was the sister of the woman. Castillo told the dispatcher she heard a gunshot.
Multiple officers were dispatched to the scene, and the dispatcher told Castillo to hide. The dispatcher also instructed her to remove the children, ages 7, 3 and 1, from the house by sneaking them out the window.
All three children are safe and are with other family members.
"It's saddening because I knew them," said Joe Brown, a neighbor. "And at the same time, it makes you very uncomfortable because you never know what is going on around you."
Joe Brown lives two doors down from the scene he did not hear the gunshots but walked outside when he saw the number of police cars lined in the street.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found a woman lying in the front yard with gunshot wounds. Officers and paramedics tried to revive the woman. This effort proved unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead.
After investigating, police discovered that the woman in the yard was Castillo who called to report the incident.
Officers searched the home for the suspect, and they found Rosalio from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. As they continued to search the house, officers found Vanesa dead on the back patio.
After further investigation, it revealed that Rosalio made forced entry through the back door where Vanesa’s body was found. Rosalio then made his way to the bedroom where Castillo was shot and killed as she exited the bedroom window.
Rosalio’s body was found in the same bedroom area.
From the time the 911 call was received until the time officers arrived on scene and made entry, was less than three minutes.
"What I think you're going to find is that the entire community is hurting," Corsicana Chief of Police Robert Johnson said.
"They were friendly, talking and the kids play up and down the block, a friendly atmosphere," Brown said.
According to public records, Mendoza has had a run-in with the law in the past.
Most of his offenses were between 2000 and 2006. One being a third-degree felony as he assaulted a public servant. The most recent report stated the last time Rosalio had a run-in with the law was in 2012, he was held in contempt at court.
Police are still investigating.
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