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SDPD says daughter shot mother, killed herself in Mission Valley

Posted at 3:03 PM, Sep 12, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-13 02:20:04-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - San Diego Police say a Chula Vista woman killed her mother in a Mission Valley office building, then shot herself days later with the same gun.

Homicide detectives investigated the 911 call from an office building on Camino Del Rio South in Mission Valley on July 22.

Officers found Maria Kelly, 66, dead inside her office.

RELATED: SDPD: Mother murdered, daughter dead

Kelly's 34-year-old daughter, Crystal Vasquez, drove to the location hours later.

Vasquez went into the restroom of a nearby business and was discovered dead of a gunshot wound.

San Diego Police said Vasquez shot and killed her mother the afternoon of July 20. The next day, Vasquez cashed a $5,000 check written from her mother's bank account.

Police told 10News the Vasquez likely shot her mother after being confronted about stealing money from the family business. 

Vasquez embezzled money from her mother's Mission Valley accounting business for about a year, according to police. 

Police believe Vasquez shot herself after learning about the possibility of cameras at the building's entry and exit.

A forensic examination confirmed the handgun Vasquez used to commit suicide was the same gun used to kill Kelly.  Video surveillance also showed Vasquez was in the office with Kelly at the time of the murder.