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MCSO: Mom, kids dead in apparent murder suicide

Posted at 11:32 AM, Jul 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-26 21:25:21-04

Officials are investigating an apparent murder-suicide at an East Valley home after a mother and her two children were found shot to death Monday night.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said a neighbor alerted police around 9 p.m. after noticing a car with a hose from the exhaust of the vehicle fed into a window of the residence, located near Recker and Ocotillo roads.

Medical examiner at scene where multiple bodies are found in Gilbert area off Recker and Ocotillo. #abc15 pic.twitter.com/tOaL34FayL

— Sonu Wasu ABC15 (@SonuWasu) July 26, 2016

Arpaio at a Tuesday press conference identified the mother as 45-year-old Lisa Gerhart, who had recently separated from her husband. The other two victims were a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl. All three had died of gunshot wounds. 

A handgun was reportedly found near Gerhart's body.

Arpaio said the incident is being investigated as a murder-suicide. Authorities will confirm their findings pending the completion of an autopsy.