Dorothea Marie Hansen Hernandez

In the quiet community of Ronkonkoma, New York, the long life of 90-year-old Dorothea Marie Hansen Hernandez came to a tragic and unexpected end. On the morning of Thursday, August 22, 2019, a chilling 911 call was placed from the Breezy Avenue home she shared with her husband.

It was Dorothea's husband, 90-year-old Valentin Hernandez, who made the call at approximately 10:10 a.m., bluntly informing the dispatcher that he had just shot his wife. When a 911 operator called the number back twice, Valentin repeated his confession before hanging up.

Suffolk County Police officers from the Fourth Precinct were dispatched to the residence. Upon their arrival, they discovered a grim scene. Both Dorothea and Valentin Hernandez were found inside their home, each having sustained gunshot wounds. A member of the Lakeland Fire Department pronounced the elderly couple dead at the scene.

Investigators from the Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad quickly determined that the incident was a murder-suicide. It appeared that after shooting his wife, Valentin Hernandez turned the gun on himself. Neighbors of the couple, who had lived in the house for decades and had children and grandchildren, mentioned that Dorothea had been in failing health. The investigation concluded that Valentin Hernandez was the sole individual responsible for his wife's death, and as he was also deceased, no arrests were made in the case.