Salt Lake City - A murder-suicide that happened in a home in South Salt Lake almost looks inevitable once all the details have started to come out. Tracie Williamson, 28, her 10-year-old daughter, Linzie, her live-in boyfriend Peter Perez,34, and his 1-year-old daughter all lay dead in the home they lived in together. They had been shot to death by Perez before he then turned the gun on himself.
Tracie first told her father that Perez was mentally and physically abusing her about a year ago. She went as far as writing a letter four weeks ago detailing the incidents, Perez’s threats to kill her if she told anyone, and a time when he threatened to kill himself while placing the barrel of a gun in his mouth. Williamson’s family tried to file a protective order on Williamson’s behalf but could not do so since Tracie was an adult she had to be the one file it. No less than three welfare checks had been requested, resulting in police going to the home twice in April and ending with Tracie telling the officer’s nothing was wrong and that she was fine.
On May 10th, they were called again by the family of Tracie. When the officer’s checked, it appeared as no one was at the home and that nothing was out of the ordinary. They went back again on Monday after Tracie’s sister called to tell police they have not been seen or heard from in over a week. On this visit the bodies of all four were found after an officer decided to pry open a window and immediately caught the smell of decomposition. He also saw a body lying on the floor. Police have not released what rooms the bodies were in, or if they were all together, but they have stated a suicide note was found by Perez’s body. The contents of the note has not been released.
Other details being reported are that Perez did have a permit to carry a concealed weapon and that he was introduced to Tracie by his ex-wife. The family is stating that they did not like Perez and felt that he was taking advantage of Tracie’s low self-esteem. He alienated her from her family, and in a strange bit of information, was running some sort of religious service in the basement of the home. Tracie also has a 7-year-old daughter who is living with Tracie’s father after he forced her to sign over guardianship. He was in the process of having the same thing done for Linzie as well.
What makes this story more tragic for everyone involved, and probably not unlike other situations currently being experienced by women across the country, is the fact that the warning signs were plain to see and that unlike some of the stories we report about, family did try to get involved and tried to get help for Tracie before something like this happened. While I can certainly understand the frustration being experienced by the family, I cannot find fault with the police in this case as I do think they did what they could and ran into a situation they probably see daily in which help is being offered to a person but the person refuses to accept it. How far should a family be able to go in situations like this? Or the police, for that matter.
Don’t blame me for the terrible title…I sort of stole it from the Salt Lake Tribune. Thanks for the heads up, Unamused Cat.
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10 responses so far ↓
1
carie215
May 14, 2008 at 2:34 pm -This is a sickening and serious “trend” across the world these days…wtf is wrong w/ people?! Killing kids?! If you’re despondent and hopeless, take that shit out on yourself and not the innocent kids. Not that the Mom is to blame for what happened, the family tried to intervene and she continued to lie and cover up for the bastard! Are they going to release the contents of the suicide note?
2
impqueen
May 14, 2008 at 2:35 pm -awww.. what sweet kids. And what a dick Perez was to kill them all.
By the by, nice article! Is that the longest one you’ve ever written, or what? It’s awesome.
3
Morbid
May 14, 2008 at 2:52 pm -It’s that fucking Indrid Cold’s fault
4
blahblahblah
May 14, 2008 at 3:03 pm -yet another case of “put down the penis.”
those poor kids.
how could anyone shoot a baby??
5
thepooh5
May 14, 2008 at 3:14 pm -Why did the Tracie’s dad have her seven year old but not the 10 year old? I would just think it would be done in age order. She was able to raise the first child, Linzie, 10 but for some reason not the next child, 7.
Has it been reported anywhere, why the grandfather had custody of the 7 year old and how “he forced her to sign over guardianship”? or Why the grandfather was now trying to get custody of Linzie?
I guess I’m asking did grandpa start taking the kids after this POS moved in with Tracie and started his religion in the basement or before and why?
6
Mattimus Rex
May 14, 2008 at 3:15 pm -Is it wrong for me to wonder how Perez still had a CCW if the police had been called numerous times to the house?
CCWs are no joke, you look at a cop wrong and they can revoke your right to carry.
It’s a real shame the father wasn’t successful in gaining parental rights for the 10 year old sooner. Obviously the mother wasn’t making the right choices. At any rate, this is just another sad story of some pyscho having no control. Hopefully if there is a hell, he’ll get his just deserve.
7
impqueen
May 14, 2008 at 3:25 pm -I know, right?
(edited for off-color suggestions, obscenity, and lack of verifiable photographic proof)
8
Morbid
May 14, 2008 at 3:25 pm -It was expired at the time of the shootings. When it expired, I have no idea. But even had it not been, I doubt he would have had it revoked just because police were called to do a welfare check. Especially if the person they were checking on said everything was fine.
Also, the only protective order ever actually filed, between Tracie and Perez, was by Perez. Against an ex-girlfriend.
9
thepooh5
May 14, 2008 at 3:28 pm -Its not wrong to ask. You should hear/read some of the questions, I ask.
I think its because she never pressed charges, much less got him convicted of anything violent. Where I live, you can’t even get a gun back out of pawn THAT YOU ALREADY OWN, if you have anything domestic or violent pending - not convictions, PENDING. When an arrest warrent is issued in domestic cases, its supposed to be keyed into the “gun permit” database (for lack of better words) IMMEDIATELY. It is supposed to keep said POS from being able to purchase a gun as soon as they are charged with violence.
I feel sure it would have been revoked had a report been filed by her. As stated, her parents could not do it for her because she was an adult.
10
WryBread
May 14, 2008 at 8:56 pm -How sad. What can anyone say? Sad, sad, sad. And yes, it almost seems routine in these situations that someone innocent ends up dying.
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