Sept. 08--Authorities have identified the Los Angeles County firefighter suspected of gunning down his wife, a deputy sheriff, on Sunday before turning the gun on himself.
In a statement Monday afternoon, Fire Chief Daryl Osby identified the firefighter as James M. Taylor, a five-year veteran of the department. Taylor, 35, killed his wife, Deputy Cecilia Hoschet, 32, in their home in La Ca-Flintridge and then killed himself in the Pacoima fire office where he worked, according to investigators. Hoschet was a deputy for two years and worked in a jail inmate reception facility.
"Today is a sad day for all public safety personnel in Los Angeles County," Osby said in a statement. "On behalf of the entire Fire Department, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends facing the pain of their loss."
The couple's 6-year-old son was in the house when his mother was shot. Taylor then drove the boy to a relative's house before committing suicide, authorities said.
Sheriff Jim McDonnell said the shootings were "very sad," particularly because of the surviving boy.
"There is no way to explain this to a child," he said
Investigators said there was no apparent history of domestic violence. Hoschet and Taylor were both trained as paramedics. Before joining the department, Hoschet had worked as a paramedic for a private ambulance company and for the city of Sierra Madre.
The couple had struggled financially in the past. In 2010, they filed for bankruptcy after an investment property they'd purchased in Canyon Country became mired in debt. They emerged from bankruptcy two years ago.
A neighbor said the couple kept to themselves.
"I didn't even realized they had a child," said the woman, who declined to give her name.
Meanwhile, detectives were investigating whether Taylor used his fire radio to alert authorities to his wife's death and his impending suicide.
Shortly after neighbors in La Ca Flintridge called 911 to report a woman screaming, an unidentified male voice on an emergency services channel referenced the call.
Speaking rapidly, but calmly, the voice announced, "There's going to be one DB" -- emergency responder shorthand for "dead body."
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"No assailants. You can let them know it's clear," he continued, according to a scanner recording reviewed by The Times. "Also there's going to be one DB at the Pacoima warehouse."
The voice then signed off in a manner unusual for emergency personnel: "Thank you and goodnight." The body of the firefighter was found hours later at a Los Angeles County Fire Department facility in Pacoima.
Sheriff's Lt. David Coleman said the firefighter drove a county-issued vehicle around 10 p.m. Sunday to the home on Crown Avenue where his wife and son were living.
"Neighbors heard a disturbance at the home -- some kind of commotion," Coleman said.
Investigators believe the Taylor shot his wife and then drove his son to a relative's home, Coleman said. He said the man did not tell the relative what had happened and continued on to the Pacoima warehouse, where he shot himself.
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"We have no indication of why this tragedy occurred. He didn't say anything to explain" or leave behind a note, Coleman said, adding that investigators would be interviewing family members and friends.
On Monday morning, detectives came and went from the single-story green home. An American flag fluttered outside the front door. On the passenger seat of a car parked in front of the house lay a receipt for Disneyland parking dated Sept. 6 -- the day of the shooting.
Times Staff Writer Harriet Ryan contributed to this story.
richard.winton@latimes.com
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UPDATsE
1:59 p.m.: This story was updated with identifcation of the victims and other details.
12:49 p.m.: This story was updated to include additional details on the investigation.
This story was originally posted at 8:06 a.m.
