Rapper J $tash reportedly killed a woman in front of her three kids before turning the gun on himself in Temple City, California, on Saturday, it is claimed. The woman reportedly was his girlfriend Jeanette Gallegos, 27. The three children were reportedly in the adjoining room when the incident took place.
The incident happened in the early morning on New Year's Day. Authorities responded to reports of domestic violence around 7:14 am to find J $tash, 28, and Gallegos dead inside their home, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Horrifying Murder Suicide
On reaching the scene police found both the rapper and his girlfriend dead of gunshot wounds. Both reportedly died at the scene, according to iHeartRadio station KFI.
According to police, there was a major argument and fight before J $tash fired the shots at Gallegos. Following the argument, the rapper from Florida took his girlfriend into the master bedroom of their California home, before locking the door behind them.
The three children, aged seven, nine, and 11, were in the adjoining room but once they realized that some thing serious and dangerous was about to happen, they went in front of the room's door and kept on knocking on it as they were worried about their mother's safety, according to Lieutenant Derrick Alfred of LAPD.
They then called their grandmother, who asked them to dial 911.
Inside the residence, deputies said they found a 27-year-old female and 28-year-old male who were both pronounced dead at the scene.
"The female victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds, while the male victim sustained an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound," according to deputies.
As of now, police believe that it is a murder-suicide. "Right now, the evidence at the scene and the preliminary information we have from the children in the home is that it's a murder-suicide," Lt. Derrick Alfred told KTLA.
Investigation on
Police said that when officer reached the scene, there was utter chaos. The three children ran for their lives after making the 911 call. It's unclear if the call was made before or after Gallegos was shot. Deputies found the three boys running at them upon arrival at the scene. They did not suffer any physical injuries.
However, it has been confirmed that J $tash wasn't the father of the three kids. The rapper previously lived in New York and had moved into the Temple City, California, home two months back. Gallegos and her three children are believed to have been staying there from before.
The three children are now staying with family members. Autopsies for J $tash and Gallegos are scheduled as investigators continue to work on what exactly led up to the gunfire. J $tash and Gallegos, who was a recent graduate of California State University, were thought to have be in a relationship for the past year when the suspected murder suicide took place.
J $tash was a promising name in the world of rap and was fast gaining popularity. In a 2017 interview with Crack Magazine, the rapper detailed his musical style and that his experiences in Asia and meeting celebrities like Lil Wayne and Young Money at age 16 helped him create a name for himself in the industry.
As of January 2022, he is estimated to have a net worth anywhere from $1million to $12million.
