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A former Meta engineer, his data scientist wife, and their two 4-year-old twins were found dead inside their $2.1 million California home in what police are investigating as a murder-suicide.
Anand Sujith Henry, 37, allegedly killed his sons and fatally shot his wife, Alice Benzinger, 38, in a bathtub before turning the gun on himself, sources told KTVU.
The couple were found dead inside the house with gunshot wounds beside a 9mm pistol and a loaded magazine inside one of the bathrooms Monday morning after police were called for a welfare check, authorities have said.
Their two sons were found dead inside one of the five bedrooms.
A cause of death for the two young children has not been released, but it is believed the boys were either smothered, strangled, or given a lethal overdose because there was no sign of trauma to their bodies, sources familiar with the investigation told NBC Bay Area.
A motive for the deaths remains unclear, as cops continue their investigation.
“Based on the information we have at this time, this appears to be an isolated incident with no danger to the public, as we are confident the person responsible was located within the home,” San Mateo police said in a statement, noting there was no sign of forced entry.
“This investigation continues as detectives work to gather evidence, speak to witnesses and family members and determine a possible motive.”
Police have noted they were called to the house a few times in the past — but would not indicate the nature of the calls.
Court records also indicate Henry, a former software engineering manager at both Meta and Google, filed for divorce from Benzinger, a data science manager at Zillow, in December 2016.
But the divorce never seemed to have materialized, and the couple moved in 2020 into their San Mateo home, where they would raise their two children.
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Neighbors said they seemed like a friendly couple and a happy family.
“Before the babies were born, we would see the husband and the wife just taking a walk while she was pregnant,” Phyllis Halili told NBC Bay Area, adding that after the kids were born, the couple would be seen “just taking them out for a walk.”
But some said they heard gunshots coming from the home before cops arrived, according to CBS News.
“You hear it’s an entire family, and of course, your mind goes to a place of ‘What tragic event happened?’” said neighbor Ron Mifsud.
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