Murder-suicide suspected in elderly couple's death

PASO ROBLES — Police suspect a murder-suicide in the deaths of an elderly married couple found on the floor of their residence Tuesday morning.

The bodies were discovered with gunshot wounds  on the 2400 block of Rock Ridge Lane, in rural Paso Robles, according to a San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Department press release.

“That’s the initial indication,”  said sheriff’s spokesman Rob Bryn of the deaths resulting from a murder-suicide. “But we haven’t concluded anything.”

On Wednesday, the San Luis Obispo County Coroner’s Office identified the couple as Phillip Gordon Rodrigues, 73, and Sharon Lynne Rodrigues, 64.

Authorities haven’t concluded who they suspect shot whom.

“We have theories, but we’re waiting on forensics,” Bryn said.

Sheriff’s units arrived at the home around 10 a.m. on Tuesday after a person staying at the residence discovered the couple shot and lying on the floor, police said.

The sheriff’s department is not releasing who the third person is, Bryn said. But he added that the person did not hear the gunshots.

“She just found them on the floor,” he said.

Phillip Rodrigues was pronounced dead at the scene, while Sharon Rodrigues was transported to Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton, where she was pronounced dead, Bryn said.