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Rhode Island man killed pregnant wife, 2 children, then himself, say authorities
The family of four was found dead in their home after a well-being check Tuesday in West Greenwich, R.I.
A man killed his pregnant wife, two children, and then himself in their home in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, according to authorities.
Police found the bodies of Nicholas Arruda, 39, Danielle Arruda, 39, and their two children Adele, 5, and Felex, 2, when doing a well-being check. A coworker of Danielle Arruda called local police Friday, Jan. 3 at approximately 9:50 a.m. to express concern after Arruda had missed several days of work.
According to West Greenwich Police Chief Richard Ramsay, Danielle Arruda and the two children suffered multiple gunshot wounds from a semi-automatic firearm, and Nicholas Arruda died of a self-inflicted single gunshot to the head.
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Police forced entry into the home on Cheyenne Trail at approximately 10:13 a.m. Friday, according to authorities. The only door accessible to the outside was locked and safety latched from the inside. Upon entry, police immediately discovered the four bodies next to a “M4 type semi-automatic weapon.”
“We believe it is the weapon used in the murder/suicide. However, a formal firearms investigation has not been conducted at this time,” police said in a statement.
Ramsay told the Boston Globe that the scene was “one of the worst” he has seen in his 30-year career.
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The investigation is ongoing into the motive of Arruda’s apparent crime.
Nicholas Arruda was arrested in 2014 for a separate domestic violence incident, not involving Danielle Arruda, according to police.
The incident marks the first homicide in West Greenwich since 2016, police told the Boston Globe. According to the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly one in two Rhode Islanders have experienced domestic violence.
“Pregnancy is one of the most dangerous times for a victim of domestic abuse. The abuser may feel like they are losing control and may escalate their tactics, increasing the risk of lethal violence,” the coalition wrote in a statement.
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