Texas murders: Four found dead in murder-suicide investigation

Image copyright Facebook Image caption The bodies were found by neighbours.

Four people have been found dead in Texas in what authorities believe was a murder-suicide.

The bodies were discovered in a house in Grapevine. It has not been confirmed whether the bodies are of the suspects or victims.

Grapevine police did not give any information on the identities of the four, except to confirm that it was a man and two women.

The area is located about 15 miles (24km) northeast of Dallas.

Grapevine police Lieutenant Michael Janicek told a news conference: “We believe a dispute occurred at this house, and our investigation is leading us to believe that a murder-suicide took place.

“At this time, we are not releasing the gender of the victims or the suspects.”

However, he later tweeted that one suspect was the two women and the other three were men.

Image copyright Grapevine Police Image caption Further details of the incident are not known.

The bodies were found by their neighbours around 10:00am (CET) on Friday.

The bodies were taken to a medical examiner’s office.

The house is located in a relatively quiet area of the city, which is also home to Grapevine Diamond Ranch High School.

Police say there was “no external disturbance or evidence of forced entry into the residence”.

An investigation is ongoing.

A video posted on Facebook by the Dallas-based Rodericks Athletics team, showing coach Reid Rodericks in a fight with another coach after a team meeting on Friday morning, appears to show the deceased, which have not been identified by police.

Coach Rodericks lost control of the fight and punched his coach, according to the video, but it does not appear that the fight was an accident.

Image copyright Rodericks Athletics Image caption Rodericks has not been named by police as a suspect in the case.

Police are also investigating another video, allegedly showing coach Rodericks arguing with a passerby in the city of Farmers Branch after the Dallas Cowboys football game on Thursday night.

Coach Rodericks has not been named as a suspect in the incident but Police Chief Greg Conley confirmed on Friday that officers were investigating that video as well.

In the video, Rodericks is also asked for his autograph but is told that he will not be signing.

Earlier on Friday, the Dallas Cowboys posted a message on Twitter saying: “We are aware of the incident that occurred in Grapevine this morning involving Rodericks Athletics and are aware that Rodericks went to the hospital to be treated for an illness.”

Football coach ‘had a drinking problem’

Image copyright Police Image caption He is alleged to have drunk a fifth of whiskey before the incident on Friday morning

Before his death, Rodericks was a head coach at Plano Senior High School for three seasons.

Head coach Dan Orlovsky told Sky News the situation was “undeniably tragic”.

“He had a drinking problem. [On] Thursday night, one of our coaches there called 911, but that was the only time we had any issues with him,” Mr Orlovsky said.

“He had a very difficult time as a teenager. There was a report of domestic violence when he was younger that lasted five years.

“His parents divorced when he was just 13. His parents didn’t handle that very well. His life kind of spiralled out of control.

“When you look at him now… he’s a football coach, he’s a human being. That’s one of the many things that makes this tragedy even more tragic.”

The police chief in Grapevine said Rodericks, who also managed the basketball team, was an “avid basketball follower”.

Rodericks’ mother, Bonnie, told KDFW News the relationship between her son and another coach, Bill Green, “was strained, to say the least”.

“In two different reports, his mother reported that he had an alcohol problem,” Chief Conley told local broadcaster KTVT-TV.

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