KENDALL (CBS4) – Miami-Dade police are investigating what they believe is a murder-suicide in the Hammocks.

It happened some time around midnight Monday in a home at SW 155th Avenue and SW 94th Street.

Sixty nine-year old Jorge Astacio shot his wife Sonia, 59, before turning the gun on himself, according to police.

“She mentioned to me she was having problems,” said Sonia’s friend Anna Galarza, “She had been staying at my house with me for a few times when she had problems.”

Police said the couple’s daughter, her boyfriend and her two-year old son were in the home at the time of the shooting.

Jorge was abusive to his wife throughout their 20 years of marriage, according to friends of the couple.

“He was very abusive, physically and verbally, to her,” said Galarza, “It would be so bad that she would have to leave the house.”

Friends said they told Sonia to leave the house because she had reportedly been talking with a lawyer about getting a divorce.

“He was military also,” said Galarza, “So he knew how to handle guns and stuff.  He was a very strong minded person.”

This was not the first time tragedy struck this family.  Two years ago, the couple lost two of their daughters in a deadly accident on I-75.  Neighbors said Jorge felt responsible.

“I think he was in shock, still from what happened, from the tragedy,” said Vanessa Morales.

Several neighbors said they did hear Jorge mention taking his own life, but they never imagined he would actually act on those thoughts.