Man leaves chilling message on police answer phone before killing family in triple 'murder-suicide'
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to suicide
A man left a disturbing message on a police answerphone before killing himself and his entire family.
Tim Ragas, a father of two, called authorities just before he shot dead his wife and children at his Louisiana home on Thursday morning (9 February). The father then went on to take his own life.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto received an incredibly haunting answerphone message from Ragas, who was also found dead with his family.
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The voicemail was left on the department's 911 message system and heard Ragas give the sheriff's office a heads up on the murder-suicide he was about to commit.
Lopinto reported that the chilling answerphone message from Ragas told the department exactly what to expect when they arrived on the scene.
"We can't continue to live like this," Ragas began. "You'll find four bodies when you get here."
When units went over to the residence, 1100 block of Curtis Street, they found exactly that.
The four bodies were later identified as Ragas, 43, Joanna Ragas, 45, and their two children - sons Eric Thorneblom, 20, and Timothy Ragas, 13, who had autism.
Relatives of Ragas told WWL that they believe a combination of depression, family medical issues and deep financial problems may have led to the tragic outcome.
The Jefferson Parish have since released a statement on the matter, explaining that deputies responded to the report 'just before 8 am'.
"Deputies arrived and found four individuals suffering from apparent gunshot wounds."
The statement continued to outline that officials believed: "One or more of the deceased shot and killed the others in the residence before taking his or her own life."
The shooting makes this the second murder-suicide in Jefferson Parish in less than 24 hours.
Lopinto added: "Some of the information could make me believe that maybe they decided to do this together from the parents - the mother and father."
"But I'm going to let the coroner's office make that determination," he continued.
Sheriff Lopinto said: 'It looks like financial problems and stuff have left a destitute situation, and they took it into their own hands unfortunately this morning.'
A GoFundMe has since been set up to help the family cover the costs of the funeral.
The page, titled The Ragas Family, has a goal of raising $4000 as 'assistance' to pay for the burial of the four family members.
They have since raised over $10,000.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123
Rhiannon Ingle