Twin Falls father 'kills' girlfriend and her daughter in murder-suicide

• Investigators say George Salinas, 36, used a shotgun to kill LeAnn Schuldies, 38, and her daughter Brianna Cox, 17, before shooting himself
• Salinas and Schuldies had four other children together
• She had an order of protection against Salinas and was trying to end her relationship with him when she and her daughter were killed

By Associated Press

Published: 13:03 EST, 21 November 2014 | Updated: 18:09 EST, 21 November 2014

An Idaho man man used a shotgun to kill his longtime girlfriend and one of her five children before using the same weapon to kill himself, a preliminary investigation shows.

Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs says autopsy reports have not been finalized from the Nov. 15 deaths but the early investigation has found only the single weapon.

Police say 36-year-old George Salinas likely killed 38-year-old LeAnn Schuldies and her 17-year-old daughter, Brianna Cox, before ending his life.

Their bodies were found in a Twin Falls County home. Four other children, ages 6, 7, 9 and 13 survived. They're believed to be Salinas' children with Schuldies.

Victims: LeAnn Schuldies (left) died alongside her 17-year-old Brianna Cox in Idaho. Police believe they were shot by Schuldies' longtime boyfriend George Salinas, who then killed himself

Schuldies was a well-liked bartender in Twin Falls.

She had an order of protection against Salinas and was trying to end her relationship with him when she and her daughter were killed.

Schuldies' four surviving children are staying with family. Salinas was not Cox's father.

County court records show that on Nov. 5, Schuldies obtained a two-week 'no-contact' order against Salinas for herself and her children.

On Nov. 12, she got a second order against him that extended past a court hearing planned for Friday.

'She was trying to get out of that relationship and move on with her life with her kids,' said her co-worker and friend Hannah Zamora, a manager at restaurant and bar Elevation 486.

Schuldies leaves behind four surviving children ages 6, 7, 9 and 13

Police say George Salinas shot Schuldies and one of her five children before killing himself

'Obviously, it was just paper to him. It wasn't anything that stopped him. It didn't seem like she had the help that she needed.'

Zamora said she knew Schuldies for six years and, six months ago, helped her land a job at Elevation 486, where she worked as a bartender and where at least one other company tried to hire her away.

'Everybody loved her,' Zamora said. 'She was very warmhearted. She never showed what was going on in her life. She was always happy and smiling, always thinking of others.'

But Zamora said Schuldies did share some of her problems — including her plans to end her relationship with Salinas — with a select few.

'She was tired of everything,' Zamora said. 'So she stood up for herself and her kids.'

Elevation 486 closed for the day Saturday after workers learned of Schuldies' death.

Employees since have created a link on the restaurant's Facebook page for those wishing to make a donation for Schuldies' surviving children.

The restaurant overlooks the Snake River Canyon, a view Schuldies enjoyed, even during a snowstorm.

'On Friday I remember her saying, "Hannah, turn around and look at the snowflakes,"' Zamora said.