A Phoenix man shot and killed three people Tuesday, including his estranged wife and teenage daughter, before killing himself, police say.
Michael Sanders, 53, shot them at the family's home near 51st Street and Thunderbird Road, according to Phoenix police.
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-Phoenix PD Looking for Double-Murder Suspect
Police say the victims are his estranged wife, 51-year-old Carol Sanders, his daughter, 14-year-old Audra Sanders, and his brother-in-law, 49-year-old Tom Fitzpatrick.
This is the third multiple homicide in Phoenix in the past month. On October 26, 56-year-old Michael Dante Guzzo shot and killed four neighbors before turning the gun on himself, according to police. Five days before that, police say 24-year-old Hector Taner Karaca -- who was just recently released from prison -- shot and killed two people at a Phoenix home.
More details to come on yesterday's shooting. Stay tuned for updates.
UPDATE 1 p.m.: Phoenix Police Sergeant Trent Crump tells New Times that the family had been involved in a court proceeding earlier in the day yesterday.
Police are still trying to get details about that proceeding, but it appears to be related to an order of protection. Court paperwork indicated that the couple were in the process of filing for a divorce.
Sanders' wife and daughter had previously moved out of the house, but yesterday, Sanders was supposed to leave the home while his wife and daughter gathered some of their belongings.
Crump says Sanders showed up during this, and first shot Fitzpatrick, who was sitting in his truck in the driveway.
He then went into the garage and saw his wife and daughter, and shot them both. Sanders also set his wife's body on fire, Crump says.
Sanders walked down a path behind his house before shooting himself.
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