Former Saddleback student and his family found dead

Murder-suicide in Mission Viejo Pacific Hills neighborhood

UPDATE at 11:00 p.m Tuesday

Blue suburban still parked in front of the residence at 25601 Pacific Hill dr block, on May 29, 2014, where the Sheer family was found dead Tuesday morning. (photo/Marivel Guzman)

The Pacific Hills neighborhood in Mission Viejo was rocked by what the Orange County Sheriff Department said to  be a  case of murder-suicide, where a family of four died at 25601 Pacific Hill Dr.

According to a OCSD press release, Mark Sheer, a 56-year-old male, was identified as the father of the suspect, Michael Harrison Davis Sheer, a 21-year-old male.

The suspect’s mother, Lydia Sheer, 56,  and Amy Joanne Sheer, 15, sister of the shooter, were found dead also inside the residence.

OCSD Public Information Officer, Lt. Jeff Hallock, said that a preliminary investigation identified the 21-year-old male as the shooter.
He said investigation is still open.

Amy Sheer’s classmate came to pay respects, here the girl is seen grieving. Her mother waits in the car, May 29, 2014, at Pacific Hills Dr block, where the four bodies were found Tuesday morning by a relative of the Sheers. Mission Viejo, Calif. (photo/Marivel Guzman)

“At early hours of Monday, a call was received from a neighbor who heard gunshots and yelling. A unit was dispatched to investigate the call, but they found nothing,” Hallock said. “At 9:01 a.m. Tuesday, another call was received from a relative of the Sheer family who has access to the resident, said to be the one that found the family dead. Another unit was sent to retrieve the bodies and investigate.”

There was no sign of forced entry and evidence from preliminary investigation suggested an apparent murder-suicide case, Hallock said.

He declined to answer if fingerprints of Mark and Lydia Sheer were found on the shotgun used for the murders, or if any of the victims or the shooter were under the influence of drugs, alcohol or prescription medications. He did, however, say his office is waiting for toxicology reports that won’t be available for another four to five months.”

A condolence note with a bouquet of yellow flowers is seen at the Sheer’s front door, the Family of four killed on Tuesday in their Pacific Hill’s residence. May 29, 2014(photo/Marivel Guzman)

He added that his office won’t be releasing any more information on the case. Also, OCSD won’t be releasing the police reports to the media.

‘The decedent died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a press release on the coroner’s website, but no description for the other three victims.

Michael Sheers is a former Saddleback College student.  A female who said she was a niece of the victims, but wished to remained anonymous, said that Michael graduated from another college.

“He only took one or two classes at Saddleback College,” she said.

She referred the shooter as ‘Michael’,  the female relative asserted that Michael did not use drugs and he was bodybuilder.

“Michael was very fit boy, [signaling with her body], he was very good person,” she said.

When asked if she believed Michael killed his parents and his sister, and then killed himself, the female relative said emphatically,”the police have reason to believe this was murder-suicide.”

She said she was not the family member who discovered the bodies; she just came to pick up the mail. The family had decided not to get involved, she said.

Two days after the incident where the Sheer family lost their life,  their Pacific Hills residence its being clear up of the police yellow tape, at Mission Viejo, Calif. (photo/Marivel Guzman)

A condolence note and a bouquet of yellow flowers was left at the Sheer’s residence’s door steps. A blue Suburban was parked at the front of the residence with a bumper sticker that reads, “It’s an HONOR to teach my STUDENT at home.”

In its 2013 City Crime Ranking report, CQPress.com ranks  Mission Viejo as the sixth safest city in the U.S.

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