William FiggThe San Luis Obispo Police Department confirmed Wednesday that three people were found dead from gunshot wounds incurred Wednesday morning inside a San Luis Obispo home.
The three individuals have been identified by police as 48-year-old John Michael Rivard, his wife Barbara Rivard, 44, and their 7-year-old daughter Olivia Rivard.
Police received a 911 call at 6:53 a.m. Wednesday from a man who identified himself as a resident of 1770 Frambuesa Drive. He told them that a shooting had occurred at the home.
Upon arriving at the scene, the police entered the home and found the three individuals dead from gunshot wounds.
According to Capt. Dan Blanke of the San Luis Obispo Police Department, the gun found at the scene is believed to be the one used in the shootings.
Two of the couple’s other children – a 5-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy – were found unharmed inside the home.
Police took the two children into protective custody.
John Rivard had been a resident of 1770 Frambuesa Drive since he bought the house in September 2000. He worked at Atascadero State Hospital as a staff psychiatrist.
Rivard spent 18 years in the business after he graduated from the East Carolina University School of Medicine with a M.D. Rivard’s practice is located at 1241 Johnson Ave.
The Tribune reported at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday that Rivard’s office manager said she phoned Rivard after he did not show up for work, but no one answered.
She told The Tribune that she thought Rivard was running late or dropping his children off at school.
The manager started turning patients away from the practice around 11 a.m.
Ernie Miller, a resident of Frambuesa Drive, could only describe the event as “weird.”
He said that nothing like this has ever happened in the neighborhood before.
Frambuesa Drive appears to be part of a chic, family-style neighborhood near Los Osos Valley Road on the southwestern edge of San Luis Obispo.
A neighbor who chose to remain anonymous said, “This is not exactly the neighborhood for murderers.”
In fact, the residents of Frambuesa Drive all seem to agree that their neighborhood was a family-oriented area.
“We all know each other and get together with a few of the families once in a while,” said Cesar Bosio, who says he did not actually know the Rivard family.
All evidence obtained in the investigation so far indicates that this appears to be a parent murder-suicide situation, Blanke said.
Investigators are still working to determine the sequence of events, who was responsible for the shooting and the motives.
“I don’t really know the Rivard family very well, but this is a quiet neighborhood,” neighbor Karen Reis said. “They seemed like a family that really kept to themselves.”
Autopsies were scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.