A man murdered three kids ages 9, 11 and 13 after taking them “to grab a bite to eat” while their mother was in the hospital, Gwinnett County, Georgia, police said in a news release on May 8, 2024.
According to an update on May 9, Gwinnett County Police identified the suspect as José Plasencia, 56, of Norcross, Georgia.
Plasencia “was from the Villa Liberación sector, in the Otra Banda, of Santiago de los Caballeros” in the Dominican Republic, according to the Spanish-language news site Al Momento. (That outlet spelled his last name “Plascencia” and listed his age as 47.)
The outlet interviewed Plasencia’s sister and described the suspect as the “ex-partner” of the children’s mother. She told Almomento that Plasencia “had psychological and health problems.” The site referred to Plasencia as the children’s “stepfather.”
On May 8, Gwinnett County police wrote in a news release that they were investigating the shooting as a possible murder-suicide.
Shortly after 1 a.m., an officer “assigned to the West Precinct was doing an area check at Lucky Shoals Park (4651 Britt Road, Tucker) when he found a suspicious vehicle parked upon a pedestrian trail,” the press release says. “The officer called out to the occupants but got no response. He approached the 4-door passenger car and found the bodies of four individuals inside.”
Jose Plasencia Had a Child With the Mother of the 3 Victims
José Ramón Plascencia and his 3 stepchildren found deceased in possible murder-suicide at Lucky Shoals Park in Gwinnett County. children identified as Arianny Rodriguez, Carlos Rodriquez, and Chadal Rodriquez. Mother named as Karina Rodriguez.
Gwinnett County police identified the victims in a statement posted to their Facebook page.
“Next-of-kin notification has been made for the three children. The victims have been identified as Arianny Rodriguez (age 13, Atlanta), Carlos Rodriguez (age 9, Atlanta), and Chadal Rodriguez (age 11, Atlanta),” they wrote.
“Their mother was at a local hospital with another child who was being treated for an unrelated injury,” the release says.
“The mother and the suspected shooter are parents to the same child who was at the hospital. He is not the father of the three victims and was not in a current relationship with the mother,” the release noted.
“The suspect met with the victim’s mother, her three children, and the child they shared together at a local hospital. After some time, the mother agreed to let the three children go with the suspect to grab a bite to eat while she remained at the hospital,” the release said.
According to 11Alive, the children’s mother “wasn’t able to get in contact with them as night went on.”
Plasencia’s brother told Al Momento that Plasencia “was depressed because of the problems he had,” including economic and health issues.
Police did not address any motive.
The Victims’ Mother Is Asking for Help With ‘a Christian Burial’ in the Dominican Republic
Gwinnett County PoliceThe Gwinnett County crime scene.
Al Momento identified the children’s mother as Karina Rodríguez and reported that she has launched a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to help her send her “little angels” to her home country of the Dominican Republic for a “Christian burial.”
“I am devastated with my heart in pieces my world was my children and I was mother and father to them so that they never lacked anything,” she wrote.
By the afternoon of May 9 the campaign had raised more than $7,000 of its $95,000 goal.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to reach the toll-free Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (dial 888-628-9454 for assistance in Spanish). You can also speak with a trained crisis counselor anytime by texting HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.