California Man Accused of Killing Wife, Driving Her Body to Hospital While Children Remained at Home

A California man is accused of killing his wife inside their Morgan Hill home before placing her body in the passenger seat of his vehicle and driving to a San Jose hospital, where he allegedly told staff that his wife was dead in the parking lot.

Roy Lopez, 37, was taken into custody at Good Samaritan Hospital on Wednesday after what police described as a shocking confession. Investigators say Lopez told people at the hospital that he had killed his wife at their home and had driven there with her body.

The couple’s three children were reportedly still inside the house when Lopez left.

A Disturbing Arrival at the Hospital

According to the Morgan Hill Police Department, authorities were alerted after Lopez arrived at the hospital and told people nearby that he had killed his wife.

The situation quickly became a major police response.

Lopez allegedly directed hospital staff toward the vehicle, where his wife was found in the passenger seat. Medical personnel attempted lifesaving measures, but she was pronounced dead in the hospital parking lot.

Police took Lopez into custody at the scene without incident.

The circumstances of his arrival left investigators with an immediate question: what had happened inside the family’s Morgan Hill home before the drive to San Jose?

Three Children Were Still at the House

While officers investigated the hospital scene, police also went to the family’s residence.

Authorities conducted what they described as a protective sweep of the home and found the couple’s three children inside. Police said the children were safe and were taken to the Morgan Hill Police Department.

They were later released into the custody of the Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children’s Services.

Morgan Hill Police Sgt. Sean Bayard told local NBC affiliate KNTV that investigators believed the children were at the house at the time of the alleged killing.

The presence of the children has added another troubling dimension to the investigation, as authorities work to determine exactly what they may have witnessed or heard.

Police Say a Firearm Was Not Used

Investigators have not publicly released many details about how Lopez’s wife died.

However, authorities told KNTV that a firearm was not used in the killing.

Police have also not announced a possible motive. Investigators are expected to continue gathering evidence from both the Morgan Hill residence and the vehicle before presenting the case to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

At this stage, officials have not publicly released the victim’s identity or provided additional details about the circumstances leading up to her death.

Investigation Continues

What began as an extraordinary scene at a San Jose hospital has now become a homicide investigation spanning two cities.

Investigators will examine the family’s home, the vehicle Lopez drove to the hospital and other evidence as they reconstruct the events surrounding the woman’s death.

Lopez remains in custody following his arrest at the hospital. Authorities are expected to present the case to prosecutors in the coming days, where formal charges will be determined.

The investigation remains ongoing. The allegations against Lopez have not been proven in court, and he is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty.

Source: Law&Crime, Morgan Hill Police Department and KNTV/NBC Bay Area.