Four people, including boys ages 2 and 4, were found dead Sunday morning inside a home in Marrero, Louisiana, authorities said.
All of the victims — identified as David Mata, 46; Kelli Mata, 40; Caden Mata, 4; and Liam Mata, 2 — had stab wounds when they were found about 11 a.m. (noon ET), the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said. Kelli's 18-year-old daughter discovered their bodies after returning home from a hunting trip, NBC station WDSU of New Orleans reported.
The house hadn't been broken into, nor did investigators find a suicide note. They told the station they believe David Mata killed his wife and their children before stabbing himself.
Stunned neighbors described the Matas as the "perfect family," WDSU reported. David was a mechanic at a Lexis dealership; Kelli was a stay-at-home mother who posted doting messages on Facebook about their children. Just four days ago, the family celebrated Thanksgiving with a first-ever deep-fried turkey.
"Obviously, the family members that are here on the scene are incredibly distraught over the news," Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said during a news conference Sunday. "Our investigators are still working and talking with them and piecing together the information."
