Another Facebook Marketplace meetup gone terribly wrong has been reported in Mississippi, where a father and his teenage daughter were found shot to death after heading out to pick up a used PlayStation 5.
Victor Gonzalez and his daughter, Serenity Gonzalez, were found dead on Sunday, March 1, by police officers who received a call at approximately 7 a.m. about a single car accident in the town of Sardis, some 50 miles from Memphis, Tennessee.
The father and daughter lived in Memphis, relatives told investigators but crossed the state border to meet up with a person selling a PS5 gaming system.
Victor, 39, and Serenity, 19, left for the meetup on Saturday, February 28. That was the last time the relatives saw them alive.
The father and daughter died from multiple gunshot wounds, police said.
While speaking to Memphis-based WATN, Jessie Waterman, 15, opened up about the deaths of his sister and father.
Jessie said to the station that “something must’ve happened with the transaction,” and suggested the father and daughter had fallen prey to a possible “scam.” He said that the victims were possibly part of a setup.
Jessie said that he believes his dad and sister “were trying to flee” when the vehicle crashed, “based on the tracks on the road and the mud on the side of the van.”
Law enforcement has yet to confirm that the Gonzalezes were in Memphis to complete a Facebook Marketplace transaction.
The Panola County Sheriff’s Office said they believe the double murder happened on February 28 or March 1. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers of Panola County at (662) 209-2011.
In late January, a pregnant Illinois mother and her unborn child were killed by a 19-year-old man who’d recently purchased a used truck from her husband on Facebook Marketplace.
The killing happened in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove, according to investigators, who would later identify the victim as Eliza Morales, who was just 30 and five months pregnant.
Nedas Revuckas now faces six murder counts for killing Morales and the baby she was carrying. He was also arrested on armed robbery, aggravated arson, intentional homicide of an unborn child and aggravated cruelty to animals.
Revuckas had purchased a pickup truck from Morales’ husband via Facebook Marketplace on Saturday, January 24. He returned on Monday, January 26, to collect a bill of sale for the vehicle.
Instead, police alleged Revuckas told them he got into a fight with Morales over the condition of the truck before he attacked her with a knife. Authorities alleged he then lit the couple’s apartment on fire.
The cruelty to animals charge stems from Revuckas allegedly stabbing and kicking the Morales’ family dog. The pit bull — who is said to have tried coming to the young mother’s defense — escaped the apartment fire and is said to be recovering from her injuries.
It is recommended that Facebook Marketplace transactions be completed at local police stations to ensure the safety of both parties.
