Lafayette murder-suicide marks city’s 1st homicide of the year

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – The Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office has confirmed Lafayette’s first homicide of the year. This comes after police were investigating two bodies found inside a Lafayette home over the weekend.

Yanira Aguayo has lived on Chaucer Drive in Lafayette since she was 6, and now she is raising her two children in the same home she grew up in.

“It’s pretty calm, quiet, and not a lot things going on,” said Aguayo.

But that all changed for Aguayo and neighbors in the 3200 block of Chaucer Drive this weekend.

“Thursday morning was a normal day,” said Aguayo. “I woke up to take my kids to school and I noticed that we had new neighbors.”

She said her new neighbors spent most of Thursday and Friday moving into their new home. But Saturday, she said a swarm of police cars surrounded the home across the street.

“I was pretty scared,” said Aguayo. “Cause nothing like this happens here.”

Lafayette police were called to the home for a well-being check at 2:15 p.m., and that’s when officers found two adults dead.

Raymond Hastings, 46, and Monica Rhine, 35, died by murder-suicide. Tippecanoe County Coroner Donna Avolt ruled Rhine’s death as a homicide.

“The lady was shot I believe three times,” said Avolt. “And the gentleman committed suicide with a gunshot.”

Avolt said Hastings took his life with a gunshot to his head.

Residents tell us it’s been a whirlwind for the neighborhood.

“I mean, I do feel nervous. But I’m hoping that it was just a one-time thing,” said Aguayo. “But, you know, it is pretty scary that I live across the street.”

Avolt said she is still waiting on the toxicology results, which will come back in about four to six weeks.