LAKELAND, FL -- A deadly shooting rampage left four people dead Sunday night. Investigators say Troy Bellar killed his wife and two of his children before turning the gun on himself.
Deputies arrived at the Bellar home in the 2000 block of Creek Bend Drive about 9:30 p.m. and found four people in the front porch area, dead from gunshot wounds.
Investigators believe some sort of domestic fight set off the tragic chain of events that took the lives of 31-year-old Wendy Bellar, her sons, 4-month-old Zack Bellar and 8-year-old Ryan Bellar.
Zack Bellar would have turned 5 months old today.
The couple's third child, a 13-year-old son, evaded the bullets by running away from his father who was firing at him while in pursuit. David Bellar managed to get through the garage and to the safety of a neighbor's house.
After killing his wife and two children, Troy Bellar used the same high-powered rifle to take his own life.
"I heard Wendy screaming and the baby crying," said Doug Lane, who lives next door. He described hearing a barrage of gunfire erupt from his neighbor's home.
Wendy Bellar sounded as if she was in "horror, terror," he said.
"I knew it was a powerful gun," Lane said. "I knew it was gunfire."
Wendy Bellar tried to leave the home with two of the children after a fight with her husband, Polk County Sheriff's Department spokesman Scott Wilder said.
"It's a very, very angry and selfish and cowardly person who murdered his family," Wilder said. "What motive or what explanation can you give?"
Even though a number of rounds were fired from Bellar's 7.62 mm high powered rifle, no other injuries were reported in the neighborhood. David Bellar is staying with other family members.
Wendy Bellar had been arrested for domestic battery earlier this year in March and Troy Bellar had two arrests, one in 1994 for aggravated assault, and another for DUI in 1999.
Investigators say Troy Bellar ran a home remodeling and handyman business. His wife was a stay-at-home mom.
Lane said Troy Bellar's business seemed to keep going despite the economic downturn.
"He said the remodeling had dropped off, but he was doing repair work for commercial apartments and that sort of thing," Lane said. "He said that he was staying busy."
Wilder couldn't say if the family was experiencing any financial difficulties.
Lane said he never heard the couple arguing. On Sunday evening, they were sitting outside together, giving no indication that anything was wrong.
"Troy and Wendy were good, good neighbors," he said. "Fortunate to know them. Just an awful shock."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
