A horrifying family tragedy unfolded in Central Florida after authorities say a father stabbed his 17-year-old twins to death before taking his own life.
Ivan Montiel Roa, 63, is believed to have murdered his teenage children, Carlo Montiel Infantino and Melanie Montiel Infantino, inside the family’s Orlando-area residence before dying by suicide, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
Deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 1200 block of Courtney Chase Circle on Wednesday, September 30, for a well-being check.
When deputies entered the residence, they discovered Carlo and Melanie dead in the living room. Both teenagers had suffered multiple stab wounds, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Their father was also found dead inside the home.
“Detectives believe Ivan murdered Carlo and Melanie and then committed suicide,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive or established exactly when the killings occurred. The investigation remains ongoing.
The teenage twins attended Cypress Creek High School in Orlando.
Orange County Public Schools confirmed the deaths of two students and said grief counselors were being made available to students and staff affected by the devastating news, according to WESH 2.
The family had already suffered a major loss only months earlier.
According to Univision Orlando, the twins’ mother and Roa’s wife died in June. The outlet also reported that the Sheriff’s Office had no record of previous calls for service at the residence and that none of the three family members had criminal histories.
Those revelations only deepen the mystery surrounding what could have driven a father to allegedly carry out such an unspeakable act against his own children.
Neighbors were left stunned by the grisly discovery in what residents described as a normally quiet community.
Florida State Rep. Rita Harris, who lives nearby, called the deaths “a tragedy” and said the community was heartbroken.
“It’s devastating as a mom, as a human being,” Harris told WESH.
Carlo and Melanie were just 17 years old.
Investigators have not released further information about what may have happened inside the home before the killings.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigation remains active.
