A husband, wife and two children were fatally shot on Father’s Day in what investigators are probing as a murder-suicide.
Nicholas Mavrakis III, 47, Lesley Mavrakis, 37, Ace Mavarakis, 13, and Pippa Mavrakis, 5, were found dead shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday in their home in Jackson Township, Ohio, local police said.
One of Lesley’s relatives called 911 after she came to the home and no one answered the door, The Repository reported.
“I know her husband has like PTSD from the military and he’s been having problems,” the relative told dispatchers.
Responding officers found all four family members deceased, and the incident is being investigated as a domestic dispute that turned deadly.
A family neighbour, who said he also had a military background, said Nicholas suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder following his deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to the US Department of Defense, Mavrakis served in the US Army from April 1993 through July 2013 and retired as a staff sergeant. He was deployed to Afghanistan from January 2002 to July 2002, and twice served in Iraq, from February 2003 to February 2004 and September 2007 to November 2008.
A family member, Zach Mavrakis, shared a photo of the family on Facebook and wrote, “You will forever be missed! Words can’t describe what our family is going through right now but all of you were so loved.”
“You were a rock and strong pillar for everybody. I wouldn’t be where I’m at if it wasn’t for you guys. And I’m sure a lot of us can say the same! I just can’t believe this is happening right now. I love you guys so much! Look down on us.”
In a statement, the Jackson Local School District said it “grieves the loss of two young children, and their family.”
“Ace Mavrakis was well-liked by faculty and staff at Jackson Memorial Middle School,” the district said. “He was a member of the Jackson High School ninth-grade football team. Pippa Mavrakis was registered to start kindergarten at Strausser Elementary School in August.”
