Police continue probe into murder-suicide of Wilmington family

Los Angeles police are continuing their investigation today into the murder-suicide of a Wilmington man and his family.

Human rights leaders led a candlelight vigil Tuesday night outside the home where 40-year-old Ervin Lupoe shot and killed his wife and five young children, including two sets of twins. In front of the two-story home, with the family vehicles still parked in the driveway, about 30 mostly Latino mourners gathered and repeated the rosary in Spanish.

A white poster with black writing read: "Rest in Peace Family Lupoe," and Santeria candles and teddy bears crowded a corner of the driveway. Myrna Navarro, 35, who lives across the street from the Lupoe home, said that the family moved in when their eldest daughter, Brittney, was a baby and the two sets of twins had not yet been born. Navarro said she heard about the shootings while at work in Redondo Beach.

"I was just in shock, my body, I just got the goosebumps," she said.

See KTLA video after the jump.

Early Tuesday, officials said, Lupoe, an X-ray technician at Kaiser Permanente in West Los Angeles who had recently been laid off, roamed room to room with a handgun and fatally shot his wife and children.

Investigators said he faxed a bitter, rambling two-page letter to a local television station, blaming his employer for his actions. Though his wife and children were already dead, he also called the station threatening to kill his family, investigators believe.

Kaiser Permanente confirmed in a statement that Lupoe and his wife, Ana, were recently terminated from employment at the health network's West Los Angeles Medical Center. Hospital officials declined to provide details, saying only that they were cooperating with investigators and were "deeply saddened" by the deaths.

The family's crisis apparently began coming to a head about two weeks ago, when the couple were let go. About the same time, Lupoe showed up to check the three older children out of Crescent Heights Elementary School, not far from the hospital.

Investigators strongly suspect the case is a murder-suicide. But they said they would continue reviewing physical evidence to rule out other possibilities.

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Inverse137]

Why is everything about money? MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. This guy was so stressed out about money that he felt nothing but hopelessness.

In November a kid is trampled to death because people wnated to save a few bucks on a video game.

I, personally, am so f'ing stressed about losing my severly depreciated house that I don't know what to do.

This country is a mess. The citizens place too much emphasis on the non-important stuff.

Do you think any of the people on that plane that crashed in the Hudson had last thoughts of: "Man, I wish I had purchased a bigger flat panel TV," or, "I really feel my life is incomplete because I didn't buy a BMW."

MONEY DOESN"T MATTER. Tell your bank to 'F' off. They screwed up and needed government money to continue.

[SIMON]

this is sad

[Daniel]

My God what is this world coming to? I can't stand the idea of what that person was going through. The complete helpless and hopelessness that he must have felt to have done this is horrible.

My the Lord have mercy on his soul.

[Waiting on the world to change]

Look what FORMER (hank God) president Bush has made this Country into. He has backed us all into corners, feeling like there is no way out. He has pushed us to believe the only way we will be free is through death.

[RZ]

This is a sad incident for the family, especially for the children. But, I must say that I am sick and tired of hearing the economy blamed for tragedies such as this. So the couple lost their jobs - why didn't they try to find other jobs instead? It might be several steps down, but I'm sure there are openings at McDonalds or Walmart. Rather than trying to solve the problem and making the situation better, they took the cowardly way out and selfishly ended their children's lives too.

[Karla]

As mother of a five year old daughter and a two year son, this story really had me upset when I read about it. We as human race need to pray for the MINDS of people in the world, because this is sad.

[willie]

thats why we need to stick together as one and help each other out in situations like this the comunity church should have help this man out i just got fired from my job too i just go with the flow and try to figure things out its sad because of the kids so we have to take action start living with each other go half on rent and bills and quit forking our money out to the goverment cause as you can see this system is made for all of us to only make it so far you might not like it but were all picking cotton and what i mean by that is were all working for peanuts this system was design for us to only make it so far so dont let the world stress you just go with the flow everything will work out in time

[Lex]

I am truly sorry to hear about thsi devastating event. It truly hits home. I, personally feel that if he could not deal with it, he shoudl have taken his own life and let his kids and wife get a chance at a future. I think it was cowardly and money is the root of all evilness.

[Zain]

Some people aren't stressed about money at all. Mostly the ones who are taking advantage of the rest of us. We need to stop paying them for the privilege of getting rich off of us. Choosing carefully where your money goes CAN make a difference. Multinationals are prime targets for starvation. Financial institutions are others. Energy companies. Automobile manufacturers. None of them worry about money because they are slowly milking all of ours. Don't be the cow, don't let them milk you. Until enough people STOP giving them money, they WILL keep on taking it.

[abby0802]

This breaks my heart. What depths of despair must have existed to create this situation. How deep his pain to do such a thing.

During the Great Depression suicides happened when people reached a breaking point. Things will not get better unless Pres. Obama is able to get the cooperation of everyone in Washington, DC and on main street to help this country out of its dire situation. We need to rediscover our humanity and remember that we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. As our neighbors and friends lose their jobs, please do all you can to help them -- it need not be financial support -- emotional support is vital. Just be there.

Let us pray for the souls of this family and pray for comfort for their relatives.

[Gary Bonner]

This is so very sad. What does this say about our society and our values? Why do so many people equate their sense of self worth and identity with their job?

YOU ARE NOT YOUR PROFESSION. Your job is what you do. It is not who you are. Our society must find a way to shake ourselves loose from this materialistic status driven culture.

If anyone reading this post is suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts. I have a message to you: Wake up. You are not your "job." You are not your "income." Your creature comforts and your circle of friends does not define you. You are valuable outside of all of that because you are a fellow human being; you are a child of the living God. We love you and our human experience here on this earth is richer and more fullfilling with you as our neighbor, friend, customer, associate (and any other role you play as we pass you on the street.) Don't end your life. We need you!

Thanks,

Gary

[Rob]

This is a very sad thing. I feel badly that man and possibly his wife, felt so alone in the world that they fell into this sort of darkness.
I hope that some where out there they all found peace.
My sincerest condolences to the family, friends, co-workers, and loved ones they left behind.

[d0d0ng]

I can't believe Kaiser Permanente just laid off the couple together. It is totally devastating for the family of 7 to loss both jobs.

Kaiser is heartless.

[wanda tag]

This world is one huge disaster and no matter who you are there is no peace to be found. As crime is unreal, morals are forgotten, drugs have taken over, companies lay employees off then say sorry as a security gaurd marches them out the door, half the police force are crooks, half the preachers are crooks, there is no trust in our world. This family you can tell were awesome people, begging for help but the only ones listening were the heavens above. They found their peace from this world of evil for Jesus our Saviour, our Holy Spirit wrapped around them and God our Father sent Love and they have received.

[kinsa]

Kaiser Permanente is so heartless.

Kaiser dealt a serious blow to a family of 7 by terminating both parents.

[Nikki]

I have felt suicidal. A job, IS a big part of my identity, and not because of the paycheck. The paycheck means I get to eat, that I can pay rent without stressing over it. That I can buy a little gift for a lover or a child. A paycheck means I can go home and visit family and friends in my home state. I graduated from college, I worked hard, I made good grades and now can not find work where I live. So guess what, Im going to Cali to work with union organizers who are protesting all of this. Because THAT is who I am.

No one should starve just so someone else can buy at third yacht. I once heard a quote that the difference between peace and a revolution is two meals a day. I cant afford but one meal a day. CEOs have had a long profitable ride on my back. Now get ready to pay the bills gentlemen.

[Oz]

HOW TRAGIC! Why could they not go on AFDC or foodstamps? A lot of people even immigrants get help for their US children. Why can't some people think things through? My brother is a working dad who supports his wife and his child. They are below the poverty level. He always complained about not having any money. I suggested they should apply for food stamps. They did and were approved. He is a lot happier.

PEOPLE WISEN-UP!

[elf]

I'm sorry, but Mc D's or Walmart is not just a couple steps down. Kaiser, despite being known for their messy beaurocratic way of cutting corners to boost profit despite consequences for both employees, patients, and the public at large, takes pretty darn good care of their employees. They pay well, in comparision to what else is out there in terms of HMO's, and have benefits that would certainly make everyone in my family breathe a sigh of relief (or feel as if they had won a small lottery). When starting a new job, not only does competition from those who have spent a good amount of time there leave you several rungs below your previous title, if it's even in or related to your field of knowledge, but it takes usually at least 6 months for ONE person to receive mediocre benefits from the company. Imagine going from complete coverage for all of your young children to nada over night. I would be bitter, and I think combined with total lack of compassion due in such a situation, could send someone already stressed out, scared of where the economy is headed, and depressed--maybe suicidal--over the edge. This country has a foundation of pride--do you remember 'liberty before death'? Many of us would lie to our families about our lay offs, scoff at a job opportunity far lower than what we are worth, and even have a mental break down before resigning ourselves to working three minimum wage jobs just to stay afloat, wondering how to break it to our kids that university is out the window, along with holidays, vacations, driving lessons, new clothes if they got them to begin with. That's not stupidity--it's the human condition. We aren't meant to be automaton running in whatever wheel is available all our lives. This is a terrible tragedy brought on by the discord among humanity within institution. This man and his wife probably worked their you-know-whats off to get where they were. Unfortunately no one reached out to him before it was too late. How utterly irresponsible of Kaiser and all who could have done something but chose not to. God bless the Lupoe family and their understanding community.

[Irving]

I agree with some of the other posts here stressing that there is life after layoff-- it is indeed not the end of the world and where there is life there is hope. Amen.

However, we have created a situation in this country where unemployment has become, not just about losing your job, but an ABYSS that we are cast into, with the illusion that we will NEVER get out of it (look at the unemployment rate and job losses everyday, no wonder people feel hopeless about finding new work). The prospect of HOMELESSNESS is a much more real possibility for ALL of us, where as little as 5-10 years ago this was a fate only for the "lazy", mentally ill, or victims of extreme misfortune.

I do not condone this man's actions, but I understand his fear and condemn the socio/economic situation that caused it. We are defintely in trouble when a man considers death a better alternative for his family. Obama has his work cut out for him, may God grant him wisdom and strength.

We are in the hurt locker folks, and yes, now is the time for people to bond together and become a support group for one another; be it friend, stranger, black, white, Jew, Christian whatever. I don't think man was ever meant to survive alone, even in the best of times. Perhaps this is the lesson we will FINALLY learn.

Love your brothers and sisters, folks. They need you, and you need them.

[Lesa]

Gary,

Thank you for the very powerful message.
I am about to lose everything from getting laid off from my job.
You are absolutly correct in your message and I needed to hear it.
Your message has given me hope for the seemingly grim future that I am about to face.
However, I am a child of a living god and I am here for a reason.
A new direction awaits me and I am anxious to see where it leads.
I am not interested in materialist items, just finding good people, friends and neighbors like you.
I have faith that more people in my situation will begin to open there eyes to your message and embrace it.
The future is looking much brighter!
Thanks again Gary!

Lesa

[Busybee]

It is very depressing!!! Life is full of negative news. Every freaking day... See what have all these MONEY SUCKERS did to regular people like us. While people are losing jobs and not being able to pay for the food and shelters, someone would spend million of dollars on remodeling the office, or receiving million of dollars bonus.
We just want to have a steady job that could allow us to pay the bills. Is it that hard????
Anyways... it is very sad about this family. Still, I believe life is more valuable than anything else.

[Jill]

Why are "human rights leaders" having a vigil for this murdering coward who didn't have the guts to stick around and answer for spilling his family's blood? Is this creep supposed to be a victim of some sort? Maybe he's a victim of he current economic downturn? Or m tragic symbol of corporate heartlessness?
This baby-killer doesn't deserve an iota of sympathy. I doubt if he asked his wife and kids if they preferred death to lowering their standard of living.
Guys like this are narcissists. They view their wives and children as possessions, like a car or a house, to dispose of however they see fit.
Our grandparents had the strength and resourcefulne to survive the Depression. There were no "human rights leaders" holding their hands and moaning about how unfair it all was. As a nation, we need to suck it up and lose the victim mentality.

[Maria]

I wished Ervin and his wife hadn't felt so hopeless. The admininstrator that spoke such hateful and insensitive words to Ervin must be recalling that conversation now. The tongue can kill...

[River]

I'd like to know if the State of California's Procecuting Attorneys Office is going to investigate this incident. Suicide is a criminal offence and probably holds the same criteria for knowledge before and or after the fact for provacation to the incident. If what his letter states is true, I would expect the next of family will have a lawsuit in court in 8 days against Kaiser and the supervisor named within the letter for investigation leading to death of the family.

[TALLSOLDIER77]

Tragic. This should have never happened. The poor children did not do anything wrong. The father did not have to kill everyone. He could have been a man and looked for another job. I was laid-off last Sept. I simply worked my behind off and found another job. I have 4 kids. Suicide never crossed my mind. Be a man and deal with adversity. The children were innocent. I hope this is not the beginning of a horrific new trend.

[Staycie]

This is one of the worst stories I've ever read. I'm so sorry that the family felt so lost and desperate that this actually became an option. The words of 2 Timothy 3:1 are certainly true when we read stories like this. My sincere condolences to family and friends as they cope in the days ahead.

[Kevin]

A friend worked at Kaiser as a traveling nurse. She said it was complete anarchy and morale is very low. Not at all surprised by the actions of their administrators.

[IROK]

Apparently these people were terminated due to misconduct, not lay off - don't know the whole story yet. Either way, the guy was a nut - if he wanted to end his own life that's one thing but why go through the house methodically shooting the kids?

[Li]

Please stop saying Mr. Lupoe was laid off. The murderous coward was FIRED! Unfortunately, both parents were terminated, so Lupoe took the easy way out. I feel terrible for this family, but it sounds like the father was no angel. Help doesn't always fall in your lap. You need to be proactive, stop blaming others and ASK for help. I have no sympathy for Mr. Lupoe. Sorry. He ruined his family, not Kaiser. There are many people out there in the same situation and slaughtering their family is not an option. What a selfish fool. I hope those poor children didn't suffer. My heart breaks for the innocent lives lost.

[Caleb Shay]

This tragedy shows what the U.S. has become under the Bush years: a 'dog eat dog', money -worshipping society where each person is a threat to every other in an economic fascist system that rates people only by their commercial worth or exchange value.

As Charles Reich poignantly notes in his book, 'Opposing the System,' Crown Books, p. 103:

"When society itself comes to be modeled on economic and organizational principles, all of the forces that bind people together are torn apart in the struggle for survival. Community is destroyed because we are no longer 'in this together' because everyone is a threat to everyone else. "

So true! What we need now is SOCIALISM! (Read Albert Einstein's excllent essay 'Why Socialism?' available online) In capitalist-driven enclaves, with their consumerist organizational economic model (wherein the resource “pie” for the non-wealthy elite grows ever smaller), the young are threats to us oldsters, as we are threats to them, as neighbor is to neighbor. It can't be otherwise. This capitalist model has seen fit, in other words, to destroy our areas of commonality and common cause. Replacing neutral civic space with demeaning commercial space and commercialist, capitalist values.

Invariably, visceral 'dog-eat-dog', endless economic warfare ensues between people in the never ending quest to 'make it' and not be left behind. A tragic game wherein every one, every man, woman and child has a 'market value' and all abiding principles, social or moral, are reduced to economics. Alas, the cost resides in devastated marriages, families and communities. And yes, slaughters like this one in LA.

The capitalist driven “rupture” can occur as quickly as when your neighbor builds a large recreational pool, or puts in a hot tub, and you can’t afford one. Or when he makes a great home improvement add-on while you are left to humble by with the status quo.

By comparison, the endemic socialist, communitarian structure of Norway (for example) promotes a healthy growth of the social commonweal and the belief that what is done for the benefit of one, or a few, redounds to the benefit of all.

We must demand Obama invoke at least some socialist remedies for this virus of capitalism that infects our people! And poisons their minds - as I am sure many succeeding comments to this will disclose!

[Chiku]

If its true that the parents lied about their income to get cheaper childcare, that's not grounds for termination! Couldn't Kaiser have given them a written warning? And then the way they were fired meant that they weren't entitled to unemployment benefits! And they had five children!

I hope the supervisor and Kaiser Permanent know that they have blood on their hands!

[John]

First off, we need to remember that this tragedy is due to one man and one man only -- he was the one responsible for this....not Bush, not Kaiser, not the economy, not sociey but him.

This is not to say that there were not circumstances that might have pushed him but we all have our issues to deal with and we deal with them without killing others. Stressful? You bet. Enough to confide in others my fears? Yeah. Enough to blow myself away? Not even close.

I myself have been laid off within the healthcare industry and am still employed in the healthcare industry. I think I pitied myself for all of 2 seconds when I was let go (not to mention that fact that I went out and bought a nice vehicle and made some huge life decisions that required money about 3 months before this happened) before I moved on and was working again within a month.

There are many non-facts going around on this blog. First off, Kaiser is not-for-profit, so they don't have stockholders to answer to (and since there is no stock, there are no stock options for executives). Second, the LA Times posts the amount of $ that goes back into the various healthcare systems and Kaiser, by far, is always on top (about 92 cents of every dollar goes back into the system). I wish most companies reinvested that much.

Third, most growth is within the healthcare indistry and, from what has been reported as their jobs, a technician job would not be difficult to find. Fourth, although I don't know the full ins-and-outs of how greivances are done within the union environment, there is usually an escalation that needs to before a termination is given and would possibly have to be pretty severe for it to happen.

[Lisa D.]

What fools in Kaiser management thought it was a good idea to terminate BOTH parents of seven children in the worst economy since the Great Depression? So far, I have seen no evidence that what got these two people fired was so bad. I see no evidence of crimes against patients, or other such behavior. But of course there are no family members left to sue Kaiser. Because they're all dead.

Think about it: these people are in charge of your HEALTH CARE. They leave a lot to be desired in the compassion department. I am sick and tired of greedy, arrogant corporations.

[tim]

WAKE UP PEOPLE!! WAKE UP PEOPLE!!! TURN OFF YOUR TV's AND SAVE YOURSELVES. The folks that CONTROL our govt are NOT WORKING FOR YOU!! WAKE UP!!!!

How much more crap like this must happen? Our economy is GONE. Our entire population is DRUGGED and totally asleep. How many more sheep will die?

That's exactly what they want. For you to die. This is a fact.

Wake the hell up, people!!!!

[2 cents]

George Bush did this! . . . . . George Bush did this? huh?

[Kevin]

Nothing justifies a man killing his children like this; not stress, pain, poverty, disappointment... Nothing. Nothing. The man was a monster and the blame lies with him. It's no surprise he was fired. Would you want him giving you medical care? If he hadn't been fired, eventually these same commenters would have blamed Kaiser for putting us at risk. He was a corrupt, evil human being, blaming others for his own atrocities until the end. Lots of people are screwed over by life through no fault of their own, myself among them; we don't go out and kill off our family members. My career has collapsed. I don't have a job, and sometimes people treat me like crap because of that, but that doesn't justify my killing anyone. Wake up! What kind of elitist, paternalistic, bleeding heart nightmare are you people living in? We have always had and always will have family-killing murderers. We have had them in lean times and in plentiful times. They have been rich and poor. Put the blame where it belongs: on the murderer. As the world continues to turn and burn, we still have the freedom and the inescapable responsibility to decide our own actions.

[Carol Anne]

If he was suicidal, he could have killed himself. Why murder his wife and kids? Yet another argument for banning private ownership of handguns.

[the real world]

I see a lot of people on this thread blaming the place of employment for this man's crass and uncaring slaughter of his family.
Apparently he did not think enough of his family to not commit fraud and get fired.
So easy to blame outside reasons for your own shortcomings.
This man belonged to a union and worked for Kaiser. It is not easy to get fired from Kaiser after your probationary period, ESPECIALLY if you are union, unless there are documented multiple infractions or gross malfeasance.
Anecdotes about it being anarchy, and stories about cost-cutting apparently ONLY at Kaiser are just that: stories.

[DIana Dee]

I was reading on Reuters that Mr. Lupoe felt helpless over his bills. Some of the findings were not very flattering. It seems that Mr & Mrs. Lupoe were way over their heads in debt (credit cards, IRS, etc.). Living beyond their means. According to the article they both were fired after lying to Kaiser so that they could get cheaper day care! That would be so sad if it turns out to be true. They both made good money, too. I don't blame the government or society for this one, but the individual. Those poor babies never had a chance at life. RIP little ones.

[Jay]

As much as I didn't like Bush or the former administration, this case has little to do with that. This case has everything to do with these parents being mental cases. Barely 2 days after losing their job they decide that they need to kill themselves, and what's worse, that they justified killing their children by claiming "Why let anyone else have them". 2 days. That's not even long enough for the pressure of unemployment to even begin. That's not even long enough to get a response from a resume. The economy, as bad as it is, is not responsible for this crap. These people didn't even make an effort. It takes all kinds of people to make a world, but as insensitive as it sounds, these people were an example of mentally unstable. That or there is a huge missing piece of the puzzle that has yet to become public. It's hard to believe that their job situation is the major contributing factor unless it were accompanied by mental illness.

[Krazidawg]

I sit here and i am deeply saddened by what happened to this family. Then I have this nagging feeling of anger about what this guy did. I have a son by a woman that I'm no longer with and I wish I could spend more time with him and here is this guy that had a beautiful family that he ends the life of. I don't give a damn if I lost my job and house or whatever. Get your ass back up and take care of your family!! I would hustle, wash cars, mow grass whatever I had to do to provide for them. He had two sets of twins and a daughter that look up to you and this is what you do? Hell we all feel depressed about the economy, losing our homes, jobs,stocks taking a friggin nose dive. I lost 40k in the stock market, but im not offing myself!! I just feel angry and sad because I wish I had what he had and in a instant he took it all away. Those kids should not have been taken away like that. I feel he was selfish. I had to get that out, just my two cents.

[RZ]

Elf,
I'm not saying that working at McDs or Walmart is a great option here, but it certainly beats killing oneself and taking the family along for the ride. I'm working in a job that could very well be cut in the next few months. And that would suck. But before I give in to debt, despair, depression, etc., I would swallow my pride and take that low-paying job if I needed the money because it would be better than no job at all. Sure, it might be a hellish work environment with few benefits and not much pay, but it would still provide a paycheck which is better than nothing. And it would probably only be temporary until I find something bigger and better. The overall point here: People need to solve their economic problems by being proactive, even if they think it's a step or many steps (your point is well taken about McDs and Walmart being far below Kaiser) beneath what they were doing before.

[a nonny mouse]

These people were terminated for cause-seems to be dishonesty. Looks like we can add poor judgement to that.

[John]

Do you know who my heroes are? Not politicians or even people llike MLK. People like Kevin and people who wake up every day who get up to go to work and make an honest living, no matter their pay or lot in life. Even those who struggle to find work are heroes, for they know what they have to do.

To Chiku... I don't know if the parents lying is cause for termination, but what if Kaiser was investigated by this childcare agency to verify the parents' income and it was found that the parents lied? What if the agency then denied them this cheaper care because of this lie? Would the agency then be responsbile for this tragedy?

[Joel Manna]

I note that summa you blamed Bush for this, you really did. You sick, sorry, demented fools. Guess what? It's Obamatime now. And guess what? Ain't nothing gonna change four years hence. Get a clue.

[Non]

Kaiser and Supervisor were DUDS. Who in the right frame of mind tells another person, "BLOW YOUR HEAD". This is pathetic, I hope the supervisor knows this one is on his concious for life. My heart goes out to the guy who did this. It shows when you are in depression you can take such a dire step.

Love and Peace

[San]

A very saddd story. Don't let PRIDE overcome you until the point you hate to ask for help. We MUST ALWAYS pray to the Father of the MOST HIGH, our Creator to help us to overcome the wildness of satan and deliver us from all EVILS.

[Hax Vobiscum]

Mr. Lopoe is a viscious coward who murdered his own family.

Whatever collective sins Kaiser may have committed, they are but a grain of sand next to Lopoe's monstrous transgressions.

Kaiser may have been utterly unfair to Mr.Lupoe (or may not have been), but how fair was Mr. Lupoe to his children? He may have felt hopeless after being fired, but how does that give him any right whatsoever to either deny his children a father or, indeed, to deny them life?

This murder has nothing whatsoever to do with the bigger picture issues of economic fairness.

Mr. Lupoe is a disgrace and an insult to the many millions of very hard working people in this world who don't respond to economic devastation by murdering their children.

[A 1st cousin to Mr.Lupoe from Atlata]

I am a family member to Mr. Lupoe and this has effected my family a great dea. I know everyone is entitle to their own opinion and I do respect that, however why do everyone keep blameing him. I think eeveryone is only blaming him beause this is what te media has said. How do you know the wife didn't do it and then he ended his life. If you read the letter that was posted this was clearly a joint choice mde between him and his wife. I agree no they shouldn't have killed the children and that was a coward thing for bth of them. I don't just blame him I blame her as well. This was a JOINT choice and I wish that if you are going to blame someone, please include her and NOT just him. We don't know the entire story behid this, and I believe it was not just about money. You never know what people are going through. He was a man that loved his children more than life itself. I just ask that people to look at the whole story and STOPPED blaming just him and BLAME THEM BOTH. However, how do you all kow that

[Rob R Barron]

It wasn't BUSH, It wasn't KAISER, It wasn't CAPITALISM that killed this family.

The murderer was ERVIN LUPOE.

Why some posters want to blame everyone and everything except Lupoe is beyond me. For whatever reason he chose to shoot and kill his children, his wife and himself. I am not sure if we will ever know the full story, but this we do know, Ervin Lupoe pulled the trigger, not Bush, Kaiser or Capitalism.

[Salemoaktree]

Most of the comments on this blog are not based on fact. First, no one seems to question the facts presented via the media or a mega corps. like Kaiser. We really do not know the whys. We only know what we are told – “the success of the dumping-down of American education”. Put yourself in his/her shoes, why would you kill? If someone had killed themselves and their love ones, they are obviously mentally disturbed – what drove them there? The question is - what are the facts and will the Masons step forth and make certain they are heard? Wake up American people. One of the things we do not want to discuss is the subjugation of people in the US and around the world, not just based on race but class. Everyone that understands the changes and devastation that is taking place in our country MUST ban together. Dialectical materialism is alive and well – we are not “crabs in a barrel” we are human and we can change things around or die trying! When you look deeper into this, maybe you might see someone saying, “I would rather die than live in subjugation”, and this might explain why so many people around the world will attach a bomb to their bodies in the name SOVEREIGNTY – the right to live free. How many of you are living “free”?

[Anonymous]

To say that I am shocked is probably an understatement. As a former employee of this Kaiser Permanente office and this department, it is definitely shocking. To know that someone you've been around for years is capable of such a horrendous act is totally unconceivable. I met Ana when I first started working at Kaiser and I must say she was a very sweet, timid lady. I can't really say much about her husband because I did not interact with him as much. To think that 5 children under the age of 8 will never be able to reach their full potential because their lives were cut short by this man is disturbing. I highly doubt his wife suggested to him that they kill themselves and their children because their future looked bleak. Although nobody truly knows what went on in either of their minds I can say the picture that was painted in his letter of Ana being the one with a master-plan of murder suicide doesn't sit well with me. To the cousin that posted I apologize for your loss, but your cousin could have been the one to say (if Ana did come up with this brilliant plan) there is no reason to take such extreme measures. It's easy for the last one alive to concoct a story of a JOINT plan. I will say that a lot of crooked things happened in this department .There were a lot of internal violations with no consequences due to people's positions and that needs to come out through this tragedy as well. I do not doubt that a supervisor made these comments to him because I've seen it all and have heard it all. This family murder is definitely inexcusable and my prayers are with their souls.

[kingtut]

I totally feel for this man and his family. Murder suicide is not the option though. Times are tough but we have to just deal with it the best that we can. I understand wholehartedly the position that he was in, because I have been there myself. Due to my wife losing her job, we had to walk away from a home that we were buying. It was very stressful, especially since we had a newborn and a teenager. I was very stressed. I was stressed because of the kids. I needed to make sure that they had a roof over their heads and food to eat. We found a new place to live and they always had food to eat. Neither suicide nor murder were ever a thought.

Months after that, my mom who was terminally ill needed us to move back to NOrthern California to care for her. I had to quit my well paying job to do this. My whole family moved in with my mom in 2007. My mom passed away last year, and I still have not been able to find a job. Luckily, she left the house to me and some money. Not a lot of money, but enough to hold us over, but I need a job soon. It is stressful, but never stressful enough to want to kill my family or myself. We will work through it, if it comes to the point where money is really tight. I wish that Mr. Lupoe would have had faith in god to help him.

[Art M]

COWARD!!!! And all those people blaming kaiser or anybody else wake the hell up!!! you are just as weak minded as that idiot that did this. I got laid off too and have a family of six to support. You just gotta keep fighting to survive and find a solution. Not coward out. He was not a victim but a murderer. Hope he is burning downstairs.

[Jerry Don]

I live in Houston, and I am ok with this. While this is a very tragic story, at least I dont have to pay for welfare benefits for that family. Some times people do things that are in the best intrest of all , and in this case, he did what he thought was right. It takes a lot of courage to do something like this,and I pray that he and his kids are in a better place. These people are now "off the books". Let's all just move on and think about our own future.

[Jager71]

"Kaiser is responsible"..."Kaiser should be prosecuted for murder"..."It's all Kaiser's Fault"....wait...both parents were terminated for fraud and trying to rip off a non-profit child care provider by claiming they only earned $7 an hour (when then both earned well over $40k each) and then forging their supervisor's signature in the application...hmmm.

So, all you folks who were getting your torches and pitchforks ready for Kaiser...I'm waiting for your response. Are you big enough to admit you had no idea what you were talking about and were popping off at the mouth like a moron? I doubt it.

[Traci]

d0d0ng - Kaiser isn't heartless. They were not laid-off. They were fired for forging a supervisor's signature so they could get cheap daycare because apparently $40/hour EACH wasn't enough money for them. This couple knew what they were doing was wrong when they did it. They were apparently living way beyond their means and it caught up with them. Yes, I feel for the children and this is a horrible tragedy, but no need to blame Kaiser for it. I make $13/hour and have NO childcare assistance. So, no, I have no sympathy for someone who makes, collectively, $80/hour when it comes to childcare. I would NEVER consider lying and saying I made $7/hour just so I could qualify for assistance - this is at $13/hour. To do that at $40/hour...............disgraceful. And, then, on top of that, to forge a supervisors name! They had no class. There are people that need assistance and help with things. Obviously this couple had problems that money couldn't resolve because they had plenty of money. They lost their jobs due to their own actions.

[Tim]

"We never would have had these kids if we thought we were going to have to pay for them. Promises were made!" Homer Simpson

Your bed, you lay in it...

[rjlawrencejr]

I think what happened was shameful. The family was deep in debt, however that was no excuse.

But for the posters who think it's easy to stroll down to the local Walmart and apply for a job may want to think again. My experience tells me Walmart wants little to do with educated employees. I applied at a local store so that I could make some extra money during the holidays. I didnt even get a call. I'm pretty sure when they saw I had an undergrad degree and that I was a grad student, it turned them off. And because most employers hire agencies to do background checks, I don't even think I could omit my education.

[Ruth]

None of us know the whole story but the note to ABC did say that when Lupoe got home "they were all dead." So, had his wife already killed the kids & herself -- Then the father killed himself? Whatever, it is a tradegy and there is plenty of blame to go around & not just the father. The person or persons who did this was obviously OUT OF HIS MIND. No rational mind would have done such a thing.

NONE OF US KNOW WHAT WE WILL FACE BEFORE LEAVING HERE. Anyone's life can change within a milisecond. Those of you going-off on the wretched father could be struck down any minute. None of us knows what we are capable of until faced with certain situations.

I hope the Lord will have mercy on the souls of that poor family.

[Expat]

I'm disgusted but not surprised that people are exploiting the murder of those innocent children and their mother by the homicidal father. What on earth is a human rights organisation doing holding a vigil? They're nothing but a bunch of vultures seeking to profit from this tragedy. They should be ashamed of themselves.

[Dick Bacon]

once again, first impressions are wrong. they weren't "victims" of kaiser or the economy, they were fired for falsifying records, trying to qualify for something they didn't deserve. neither of these people had any morals.

[surreal]

http://liveoakalumni.net/class/1986?l=L

I went to school with "Tony", as Ervin was known back then. The above is a link to his entry on our Alumni site. Scroll down to "Lupoe".

[Steven]

If the facts are as the reflective of this general report then I can't fathom this. How an adult can build a family, grow to become middle aged and then in a disgusting twisted temper tantrum destroy so much. I have no pity for the culprit of these murders this is the summary of vile narcissist.

[HAYNOW]

MY SOUL IS HURT / MY HEART IS HURT / MY EYES ARE FULL OF TEARS!

People their is a God a loving God! No matter how hard it get trun to your Higher Power! Death is not the solution! We need each other more than ever now, The Lupoe's family is gone home now. I pray for people who feeling the pain of life right now. Please go and get help / call someone and talk it out / Death is not the answer. Shame on Kaiser!

WE NEED PEACE AND LOVE IN THE WORLD

[MHC]

Being the father for 2 small children, I felt extremely sad for this tragedy. Their children were totally innocent and they were all gone. What upset me the most was the place the couple worked at was suppose to be a place to save human life. It turned out to be a clueless and heartless place. It was brainless and illogic to terminate the couple with 5 young children at about the same times regardless any valid reason.

[Observer]

What’s with you folks!! The man had a very tragic moment without hope!
Interesting how easy it is to make attacking comments while in the comforts of your own homes with a full refrigerator.

This mad, although wrong to involve his kids and family, just had the switch of life turn off. His wife’s income was turned off too. Then they have all their children immediately caught in the middle.

I KNOW had his situation been YOURS, your attitude would have been different than it is now, if not the same as HIS.

People seem to know pain ONLY when they’re the ones feeling it.

The man didn’t take out his family the day he and his wife lost their jobs.

The sudden shock of their situation slowly sunk in days/weeks later.

[Heather]

If you read other articles about this, you would know that it was a mutual decision between husband and wife to take their lives. Stop giving the husband all the blame. He didn't kill his wife, the evidence speaks that she chose to die. And she chose to have her children's lives taken, as did he. Maybe they were not thinking clearly at the time, but it is not for us to judge.
Additionally, neither was laid off, but both were apparently fired for lying about income in order to obtain cheaper childcare. This is mentioned by Kaiser as the reason for their firing, and given the couple's financial status, I don't doubt it. However, I do feel that it should be investigated and verified.
I also think that over- reactions to the case, like claiming that if this had not happened then years from now something would have happened to a patient at Kaiser, are uncalled for. There is no evidence to suggest that Mr. or Mrs. Lupoe would ever harm someone under their care at Kaiser.

[Tim]

First, what kind of coward kills his whole family? Just kill yourself and save everyone else.

Second, lets not point fingers at the economy or Kaiser. We dont know why they were let go (do we?).

This is a tragic event, but only the father is to blame for this

[rebel]

about 30 mostly Latino mourners gathered and repeated the rosary in Spanish

You see we are not bad people as you paint us to be.
As for dodong I so agree with you all the way.............

[Caleb Shay]

R. Barron wrote:"It wasn't BUSH, It wasn't KAISER, It wasn't CAPITALISM that killed this family.

The murderer was ERVIN LUPOE.

Why some posters want to blame everyone and everything except Lupoe is beyond me"

Obviously, Lupoe is responsible for the immediate action-aggression against his family. What I (and some others) are saying is that the SYSTEM provides so little easily available backup support, and is designed to breed such a dog-eat-dog zeitgeist, that many are driven to extreme desperation and perceive all other options foreclosed. This isn't the first case (I do recall an Indian-descent guy in LA doing this a couple months ago to his family) nor will it be the last. There are likely tens of thousands in similar straits across the country contemplating what Lupoe did. I personally hold the inhuman SYSTEM equally accuontable to Lupoe! Had it been of a more communitarian and helpful nature such as in Socialist nations, this likely would never have transpired.

This whole financial crisis (which isn't over by a long way - according to the Financial Times,: www.ft.com) is a wakeup call to hitherto capitalist-brainjacked 'Muricans to cease their conspicuously consuming ways and pay more attention to family, neighbors and helping others.

We persist in our personal "responsibility" isolation booths at our own peril. 'Nuff said!

[kathy]

I understand that everyone is hurting but we need to go back to our first love Jesus, we have gotten so caught up in things that we have forgotten whats important family and Jesus, It's not going to get better until we turn our selfs around, yes we have a new President that i think is a very good leader but we still need to do our part and a part of that is prayer and family doing whats right,
I know jobs will come soon but just hold on help is on the way

[Emilee]

We should never point the finger at no one. Not the economy, Not Kaiser but ourselves. That man is paying for what he did in judgement and weather the world believes in Christ or not he is paying for his actions. As a Freemason he cried out to God in his letter which means his believe was in him, life that is after death.. and as he brutally decided to shoot down his innocent family while knowing who God is inside, he made the decision to put himself first knowing he would have to deal with his actions in the afterlife. What would drive a man to such actions of knowing that hell would be waiting for him??? It was not Kaiser or the economy that failed him, but himself. It was his decision! I am a mother of 5 children. I have seen the lost off my home and my job. My husband and I lost everything we built our lives for, Car, home, credit and the death of our son. We spend many nights in hotels until we got back on our feet. The point is never once through tragedy and feeling hopelessness would I ever decide to take my children down with me! He failed himself. He will pay in judgment!

[Jocelyne]

"We should never point the finger at no one. Not the economy, Not Kaiser but ourselves" .... Yes, but we belong to humankind we rely in ourselves and others to survive. Therefore, we vote for people to take care of us, and they have not done a good job yet. On the other hand, it is not very wise from Kaiser either, to lay off both parents at the same time. If Kaiser were small company, it would be more sensitive to the family facing that kind of stress; but this huge companies no longer have brains. Is not that obvious?
What can we do?
1-Civil Disobedience do not support in any way Kaiser period.
2-Do not let this family to be forgotten.
3-Ask for answers to the government in any way you can.

[BLAM]

"Therefore, we vote for people to take care of us" good gawd is that what you really think???
"it is not very wise from Kaiser either, to lay off both parents at the same time." The couple was NOT laid off - they were FIRED for misconduct.

The father was a nutjob plain and simple. Deliberately executing his children.

[Mickey]

I think this is a sad world we live in.NObody knows what the Lupoe family was going thru your breaking point and my breaking point is differ, I think that the jugde should be left up 2 GOD. We all need money to live and it's ez to say what you would and wont do under stress we. All i hear is bale out but who will bale out the avg, person who will stop the creditors from callinm me at my home and my job!! U cant live in this world with out money it's not gone happend. I pray for this family and all families. It take a lot of money to take care one self let alone a family. The ceos and the gov has all the money. The rich just get richer We the people need a bale out 2. GOD BE WITH US ALLLL
Mick

[Nicole B]

Why couldn't they have tried to find other jobs??? WHAT other jobs??? Jobs at McDonalds???? MCDONALD'S HAS NO OPENINGS!!! "RZ" and the rest of you who have obviously not even been close to where this poor man and his wife probably were, you really need to take your heads out of your butts and look VERY CLOSELY at what's going on ALL THE WAY around you!!! I'm there right now! Food stamps aren't enough! Unemployment isn't enough! Welfare either! No, money isn't everything, but this world we live in dictates that if you don't have money, you just may have to live on the streets. Do you think maybe that's what he was a step away from? Truthfully, all of us making under 6 figures are AT LEAST 2 paychecks away from homelessness - whether due to living above our means or just having a hard time managing the rising costs of EVERYTHING! You people make me sick!!! I pray for that more man, who probably felt less like a man than ever before when he realized he would not be able to provide for his beautiful children. None of us truly know how badly he had to be hurting. OPEN YOUR EYES, AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[E.Umana]

Someone made the remark that the former President is the cause for this obviously disturbed man, to commit this heinous act, that is not the case at all, this is just a senseless and tragic incident.