‘Really hard to understand’: Family speaks after double murder-suicide rocks community

POTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — It’s been nearly a week since Portland police say 22-year-old Miguel Morgan shot and killed his 48-year-old mother, Maria Florencia Rubio, and his 10-year-old sister, Liliana Morgan.

His grandparents are still in shock as to why their grandson would do this, saying he cherished his sister.

“Absolutely surprised by how this happened,” their grandmother, Tonya Trutton, said. “You do feel like, ‘what did you miss? How did you not see this? What was he not sharing with us?’ And there’s just no answer.”

Trutton noted Florencia was a loving mom and a “wonderful photographer. She’s given us a gift of many, many pictures that we will now hold very, very deeply in our hearts.”

Liliana, meanwhile, was a ray of light who loved cats and would go on adventures with her dad.

“She was magic. Wherever she went, she was magic,” Trutton said. “And, “The loss is deep. Very, very felt deeply for all of us.”

Miguel was the oldest of three. He was quiet, caring and loved being in nature, his grandparents said.

“It’s really hard to understand how this happened, how one beloved child gone is the cause or heart of the other child causing that loss,” Trutton added.

Middle child Mateo Morgan was left behind to pick up the pieces.

“You know, one morning he had a family. In the evening, it got much smaller,” Trutton noted. “He is only 20 years old. We’re holding him tight. He’s taking it hard, of course.”

This all started after police got a call just after 5 p.m. Saturday about a suicide in the family’s home. When police came, they found Liliana, Florencia and Miguel dead inside the home.

Now the family is facing the financial burden of such a big loss.

“Part of the grief in this is the understanding that there’s a tremendous cost that comes to laying to rest three loved ones all at the same time,” Trutton said.

If you want to support the family with the funeral costs, they have set up a GoFundMe.

KOIN 6 reached out to Portland police for updates, but they say this is still an active investigation.