LAKELAND, Fla. — A 13-year-old boy ran through a garage to escape his family's slaughter at the hands of his father, who then took his own life on their front lawn, authorities said.

Investigators were still searching for a motive for the slayings late Sunday. They said Troy Ryan Bellar, 34, shot and killed his wife, Wendy Bellar, 31, and two young sons before killing himself outside their home in Lakeland, located between Tampa and Orlando.

Wendy Bellar tried to leave the home with two of the children after a fight with her husband, Polk County Sheriff's Department spokesman Scott Wilder said in a statement.

But Troy Bellar opened fire with a 7.62 mm rifle and killed his wife, 5-month-old Zack James Bellar and 7-year-old Ryan Patrick Bellar in the front porch area.

Another son, 13-year-old Nathan Bellar, was pursued through the garage by his father, evaded several gunshots, and made it safely to a neighbor's house. The boy was being placed with family members.

Investigators were still trying to determine the sequence of the shooting.

No neighbors were injured by gunfire, according to a canvass by deputies.

"You don't have stuff like that in this neighborhood," neighbor Tammy Womble told The Ledger newspaper in Lakeland.

"It was just gunshots going off. We didn't hear screams or anything," she said.

Wilder said the husband had been arrested twice in the county, on suspicion of aggravated assault in 1994 and suspicion of driving under the influence in 1999. Wendy Bellar was arrested in March on suspicion of domestic battery.

"This is one of the most tragic, senseless and horrific crimes we have investigated," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.

Great news to read on a Monday morning. Thanks Gray

it was just about all you could see here...i'm not too far from lakeland.., so it's local..and gods do they love repeating it...it's a horrible thing...
and i only had to listen to it on the news..the poor boy..my heart goes out to him..

This is horrible!

I'm glad you mentioned it Grey! I'm getting sick of people saying "..but they looked like such a nice family..."

We need to be reminded that anyone can be like this. People need to get help or get out of relationships like this. This case didn't just come out of the blue. They both had histories.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Imagine the surviving son's nightmares. What a shame.

God help this nation that is full of weak sick men.

Graycap23 said:

He's....going to need some help.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

For a long time. Sadly this will more than likely mess him up forever. I just can't for the life of me begin to understand how someone can get to the point in their life where they would do something this terrible.

weused2luvhim said:

Let's just hope he can get the right help. I do believe people can recover from stuff like this. They will never forget but they will be able to function.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

What he said.

When will people stop saying "he was such a nice guy", or "how could it happen in OUR town" when they hear about things like this? Naivete is leaving people in a constant state of surprise. Perhaps if people didn't assume things about "nice families" they could see the warning signs before something terrible happens.