Indian American couple shot dead in Silicon Valley by daughter’s ex-boyfriend

Juniper executive Naren Prabhu, wife were gunned down at their home.

An Indian American tech executive and his wife were shot dead in San Jose on Wednesday night by an ex-boyfriend of the couple’s daughter. The suspect was also killed at the site following a standoff with the police.

Naren Prabhu, a vice president of engineering at Juniper Network, was shot and killed at the doorway of his home, and minutes later his wife, Raynah, was killed inside the home. Their 13-year-old son was taken as a hostage by the victim.

The suspect has been identified as 24-year-old Mizra Tatlic, who dated the couple’s daughter Rachel until last year.

“The suspect had been in a dating relationship with the victims’ adult daughter who was not home,” the local CBS affiliate quoted San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia as saying. “The relationship ended last year. The suspect had a history of domestic violence and there was an active criminal restraining order.”

Raynah Sequeira Prabhu studied at the city’s Sydenham College, Mumbai, her social media profile indicated.

According to media reports, there were two restraining orders against Tatlic — one sought by Rachel Prabhu, and the other taken out by his own mother.

Police said the adult son of the couple called 911 at 9:01 pm on Wednesday saying that there was a shooting.

“When officers arrived at the home on Laura Valle Lane they saw an adult man deceased in the front doorway suffering from at least one gunshot wound,” Garcia said. “Officers learned from the adult son that his mother and 13-year-old brother along with the suspect were still inside the house.”

The police chief said a hostage situation had developed at one point with Tatic using the Prabhus’ 13-year-old son as a human shield. But he was released later.

Tatlic reportedly used the boy’s cell phone to call Rachel, who lives outside of California.

“The suspect reportedly pointed a handgun at the police through the window. “In fear for the lives of fellow officers and victims that still may have been in the house, at least one round was fired by an officer, striking the suspect,” Garcia said.

The Mercury News reported that his mother had obtained “a restraining order against him last summer after he unleashed a torrent of obscenities at her while smashing gashes in the walls of their home.”

According to the paper, his mother reported that on August 30, “her son came into the bathroom and ‘took the blow dryer from my hand. He started hitting the wall, yelling at me, cursing, and calling me by names (expletive, expletive, die expletive, why didn’t you get killed).’”