Teens found fatally shot had been told to stop dating

Pr. William police think there was a suicide pact; stepfather perplexed

The two Forest Park High School students who were found dead in a Triangle home Monday had previously dated but had been asked by their parents to stop seeing each other, and police think that they died in a suicide pact.

Desiree Patrick, 17, of Triangle and Quirinius Williams, 18, of Woodbridge apparently died from gunshot wounds in an attic bedroom in Patrick's small Cape Cod home on Oakdale Circle, a quiet, hilly street. Police said that Patrick's father discovered the bodies about 5 p.m. Monday and that at least one gun was recovered at the scene.

The deaths remained a mystery Tuesday as family members and police tried to piece together events leading to the sudden violence. Officer Erika Hernandez, a police spokeswoman, said the department's investigation "reveals that both subjects agreed to commit suicide."

Police would not discuss what evidence they found or whether there was a suicide note or message, but officials said they are confident that the two had come to an agreement and carried it out.

"We don't know if one killed the other and then killed themself, or if they both killed themselves at the same time," said Maj. Ray Colgan, assistant police chief for criminal investigations. "We will do a forensic analysis for gunshot residue and will continue to investigate."

Ruben Aguilar, Williams's stepfather, said he had no indication that anything was wrong with Williams and thought that he was on track to go to college after graduation next spring. A talented pianist who wanted to compose music and dreamed of going to the Juilliard School, Williams was described as a "very good kid" who stayed out of trouble.

When police showed up at Aguilar's door at 8:30 p.m. Monday with the news of Williams's death, it came as a total shock to the family. Williams had neither left a note for them nor said anything unusual, and the previous days were filled with normal, happy family life. Williams took his 10-year-old brother trick-or-treating Saturday night, and Aguilar last saw him about 9:30 p.m. Sunday at home, playing video games.

Aguilar said he had never met Patrick but had received a phone call from her father about a year ago about the relationship. After that conversation, Aguilar said, "we made sure to tell them to stay away from each other." From all appearances, Williams complied.

"We had no idea he was seeing her," Aguilar said.

Patrick's father declined to comment when reached at his home Tuesday. Police crime-scene tape remained strung up around his home.

Neighbors said they were unaware of the shootings until police arrived and cordoned off Oakdale Circle on Monday night.

Jon Kelley, 25, who lives directly across the street and was home when the shootings occurred, said he did not see or hear anything out of the ordinary.