who was David Vallerga, the suspected shooter in the Rancho Cordova murder‑suicide?

who was David Vallerga, the suspected shooter in the Rancho Cordova murder‑suicide?

David Vallerga was the 58‑year‑old man identified by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office as the suspected gunman in a tragic murder‑suicide that left four people dead inside a home in Rancho Cordova on January 27, 2026.

According to authorities, Vallerga placed a call to 9‑1‑1 shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, saying he was “the shooter” and warning dispatchers that he had set “booby traps” inside his home in the 5400 block of Mill Water Circle in the Kavala Ranch community. Responding deputies established a perimeter, evacuated nearby residents, and initiated a tactical response to the reported threat.

Vallerga is believed to have fatally shot three family members — his 49‑year‑old wife Lindsey Peralta Vallerga and their two children, a 13‑year‑old boy and an 11‑year‑old girl — before killing himself. All four were found inside the residence with gunshot wounds when police entered after the standoff.

Officials said Vallerga had prior military experience, and investigators recovered multiple firearms at the scene, including two pistols believed to have been used in the shootings and about 14 additional guns inside the home. No booby traps were found despite his claim.

Neighbors described the family as active in the community, with the children playing in the cul‑de‑sac and the household running a tutoring business, and expressed shock at the violence in what was otherwise seen as a quiet suburban neighborhood.

At this stage, investigators continue to piece together what led to the murders and Vallerga’s actions, with motive still undetermined as law enforcement reviews evidence and interviews.