LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL – Authorities ruled a double homicide-suicide after discovering three bodies during a welfare check at an upscale gated community, with investigators concluding a mother killed her two children before taking her own life.
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies found Monika Rubacha, 44, and her children Josh James, 14, and Emma James, 11, dead inside their home at The Lake Club community, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Detectives with the Manatee Homicide Investigation Unit determined Rubacha killed both children before ending her own life, with no evidence suggesting anyone else was involved in the deaths.
Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Randy Warren described the scene as appearing to be a “violent murder scene” when deputies entered the residence. Preliminary findings suggest Josh James may have died before his sister and mother, as investigators work to establish an exact timeline of events.
Warren told FOX 13 that authorities believe some level of planning was involved and that Rubacha “knew what she was doing.” He called the case “unimaginable that two children were killed inside their home by a parent, and then she took her own life.”
The family had moved to Florida from Missouri approximately three years ago, with deputies never previously responding to calls at the residence, according to Warren. “There’s really nothing there that would have indicated this would have happened,” he stated.
The children’s father was traveling in South America when the killings occurred and returned to Florida after being notified by authorities. Warren described it as “an incredible emotional day for him,” according to FOX 13.
Neighbors in the gated community expressed shock at the violence. “It’s a total surprise and shock. This neighborhood is so quiet,” Paul Henne, a Lake Club resident, told FOX 13. “It’s a family community with small kids. It really hits you hard when you hear about that stuff happening.”
The Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch issued a statement acknowledging the tragedy, saying their “hearts are with the family and all those affected during this incredibly difficult time.”
The case remains active as detectives continue reviewing evidence. The medical examiner will determine the official cause and manner of deaths. Authorities have not released a motive for the killings.
