Shootings seen as murder-suicide

A Torrance man who was ordered to leave his family’s residence Monday returned eight hours later, fatally shot his 5-year-old son, mortally wounded his mother-in-law, wounded his wife and then apparently killed himself, authorities said.

The gunman was identified by authorities as Steven M. Pick, 42, and a neighbor identified his wife as Jacquelyn “Jacquie” Pick. Officials with the Los Angeles County coroner’s office identified the couple’s son as Tyler Pick and the mother-in-law as Janell Stern, 62.

Neighbor Patti Kimzey, who said she had known the Picks for six years, said the couple also have a preschool-age daughter who was home at the time of the shootings but was unhurt.

Property records indicate the home in the 1900 block of 230th Street where the shootings took place is owned by the Picks.

Police responded to a family disturbance call at the house about 12:15 p.m., said Torrance Police Officer Dave Crespin. After questioning the couple, officers served Pick with a restraining order that his wife had previously obtained. The man then gathered his belongings and left, Crespin said.

Pick returned to the home about 8:20 p.m. and shortly after that Torrance police received reports of a shooting there.

He and his son were found dead at the scene, Crespin said.

Pick’s wife and her mother were treated by paramedics and taken to a hospital, where the older woman died of her wounds, Crespin said. The wife’s condition was reported as stable and not life-threatening.

“Preliminary investigation shows that this incident was a possible murder-suicide,” Crespin said.

In the quiet suburban neighborhood where the Picks had lived for years, longtime friends were in shock. Kimzey said the Picks were known to neighbors as a social couple who attended block and holiday house parties.

Pick, a truck driver, had a lot of tattoos and piercings and a “rocker vibe about him,” Kimzey said, “but he seemed to be a really good dad.” Jacquelyn Pick, 38, worked in an insurance office and was soft-spoken, she said.

Tyler was popular on the block, where he could be seen bicycling or chasing the trash truck to see how it worked. He was a “bright, sweet and articulate” child, Kimzey said.

Stern, who lived in the San Fernando Valley, would drive down to baby-sit the children, Kimzey said.

Pick lost his job two years ago and moved out of the house a few months ago, Kimzey said. But she said he still visited the house regularly.

Kimzey said she never saw public signs of trouble.

“The only forewarning was when police came earlier that day,” she said.

“This is a shock to the street. This is going to be with us for a very long time.”

No one answered the door at the house Tuesday morning, as officers finished clearing the scene and removing yellow police tape.

--

francisco.varaorta@latimes.com

--

Times staff writers Molly Hennessy-Fiske and Ari B. Bloomekatz contributed to this report.