Tragic Incident in Rancho Cordova

A man in California called 911, identifying himself as the “shooter” and warning that his home was booby-trapped, authorities reported. When police arrived, they discovered four family members deceased inside the residence.

This tragic event unfolded on Tuesday morning, following a neighbor’s report of gunfire and screams around 8:30 a.m. in Rancho Cordova, as per the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. The man, identified as Danny Valerga, 58, called emergency services, providing his address and cautioning about the traps.

Officers secured the area and evacuated nearby residents. During the standoff, deputies thought they heard more gunshots from within the home. The sheriff’s SWAT team arrived, deploying armored BearCat vehicles and obtaining a search warrant. A small armored unit, the Rook, broke through the fence and sliding glass door. A drone later flew over the location and found Valerga unresponsive, a handgun in his right hand. Upon entering, SWAT personnel uncovered three additional victims. Tragically, all four individuals were pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials labeled this sequence of events a murder-suicide. The incident was reported shortly after 8:30 a.m. on January 27, 2026, with officers responding to the potential gunfire in the 5400 block of Mill Water Circle. Neighbors had described hearing what they believed to be gunshots and screams.

According to KCRA, the sheriff’s office revealed that Valerga had military experience. The victims included a 49-year-old woman, a 13-year-old boy, and an 11-year-old girl. While their names have not been made public, neighbors confirmed that the family of four lived in the house. The children were homeschooled, and the family also operated a private tutoring business, as reported by KCRA.

Investigators found 14 firearms registered to Valerga in the home, along with a second handgun underneath his body. Two different calibers of cartridges were present in the weapon found. Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams searched the property and did not locate any booby traps. According to CBS Sacramento, officials noted there was no prior record of domestic violence.

Alisha Crockett, a neighbor who lived across the street for five years, shared with KCRA that Valerga “seemed pretty nervous.” She remembered her children being cheerful. Neighbors described the girl as creative and mentioned that the boy was a fan of Pokemon.

Authorities are currently investigating to determine the motive behind this heartbreaking incident.