Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office has identified the couple killed in a murder-suicide in West Miami-Dade.
Officials said 48-year-old Liev Canals shot and killed his girlfriend, 29-year-old Ana Beatriz Santo Rodriguez, before killing himself near Southwest 107th Avenue and Third Street in Sweetwater.
It began Friday morning outside a home in Tamiami near Northwest 10th Lane and 127th Path where surveillance video captured Canals walking towards the driver’s side of a dark-colored SUV.
Police said Santo Rodriguez was sitting inside.
Once Canals walks up to the driver’s door, there appears to be a struggle before multiple gunshots are fired.
“She couldn’t defend herself, she couldn’t do anything,” said a neighbor.
Canals then drove off inside the SUV, leaving Santo Rodriguez dead outside the home.
A woman who did not want to be identified spoke with 7News said she was inside the home at the time gunshots were fired.
“They just heard something, they came outside, he shot her,” she said.
When authorities arrived to the house, they found Santo Rodriguez dead on the sidewalk.
Another 911 call alerted police to a traffic accident near Southwest 107th Avenue, about three miles from where Santo Rodriguez was killed.
Officials said that’s where Canal shot himself before crashing his car.
The 48-year-old man was rushed to the hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Those who knew Santo Rodriguez are now left grieving, wondering why this happened.
“She was going to nursing school or she was finishing up nursing school to become a doctor. It’s devastating,” said the woman. “Her whole career was cut short.”
Investigators are still trying to determine what led to the murder-suicide.