2 people dead in Aston Avenue shooting, Santa Rosa police say

Police on Friday were searching for a motive after two bodies were found dead inside an apartment on Aston Avenue in Santa Rosa.

A relative discovered the bodies shortly before 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Both people had been shot. A gun was discovered at the scene but the investigation was in its early stages and it was too soon to comment on what led up to the fatal incident, according to Santa Rosa Police Department Sgt. Chris Mahurin.

He said police expect the medical examinations to be completed next week.

“It doesn't appear to be a public threat. (The incident) appears to be confined to the apartment,” Mahurin said on Thursday.

As of Friday morning, police were not providing the names or ages of the deceased, or their relationship to one another.

This is Santa Rosa’s fifth homicide investigation of 2022.

The most recent incident involved a fatal stabbing that took place April 25 at a home on West Creek Lane. The others all were shootings — at a food truck at Sebastopol Road and West Avenue on Jan. 15, outside a bar on Mendocino Avenue on March 18, and at Hilliard Comstock Northwest Community Park on April 2.

As police cordoned off a portion of Aston Avenue to conduct their investigations Thursday, several residents were prevented from accessing their apartments. They said they did not hear any gunfire and only knew the deceased in passing.

Aston is lined with homes and apartment buildings. Other area residents said they were confused by the police presence.

Michael Quinones, who lives across the street, said the yellow security tape was a sign to him that something bad happened.

“It's a crime scene. That's the first thing in my head,” said Quinones, 45. “I’ll pray for anyone involved. So sad.”

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi. Staff Writer Phil Barber contributed to this report.