Investigators say south Texas man killed wife, mother-in-law, third woman, then himself

Police: South Texas man killed 3 women, self

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas — A south Texas man shot and killed his wife, her mother and another woman Tuesday evening before turning the gun on himself, police said.

Investigators suspect Francisco Pinal shot and killed Lydia Pinal, his wife of more than 20 years, then killed Rosa Alaniz, her mother, and another woman in the front yard of the third woman’s house in Rio Grande City, a town on the Texas border with Mexico.

Police said the man then went home and killed himself.

The third woman’s identity hasn’t been released.

Police have not found any witnesses to the shooting and motives remain unclear, police Chief Dutch Piper said.

However, a woman who lives next door to the shooting scene told The Monitor of McAllen that Lydia Pinal had told her she was planning to divorce her husband.

“I never wanted to get involved,” Norma Garcia said. “I just felt bad for her. She was hurting so bad and she was scared of him.”

Lydia Pinal’s nephew, Ricardo Gonzalez, told the newspaper there was a history of domestic violence between his aunt and her husband of more than 20 years. Gonzalez said Francisco Pinal often would brandish his .40-caliber handgun and threaten family members with it.

“I guess he was heartbroken, and that can drive people to do crazy things,” Gonzalez said.

Information from: The Monitor, www.themonitor.com