NORTH ROYALTON, OH — Police in a Cleveland suburb say a man killed his ex-wife’s parents inside their home before later dying by suicide. North Royalton officers were called shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday after a woman said her estranged ex-husband’s car was parked in her parents’ driveway and she could not reach them.

When officers arrived on Tiffany Drive, they were unable to contact the homeowners. They went inside and found Sorin Ciortan in an upstairs hallway and Emilia Ciortan in the dining room, both with apparent gunshot wounds to the head, according to police.

Police entered after no one answered at the home on Tiffany Drive

Investigators said the initial call came from the victims’ daughter, who feared something was wrong after seeing the suspect’s vehicle at the house. Officers first tried to make contact from outside, but when no one responded, they entered the residence to check on the occupants.

After finding the two victims, police noticed the suspect’s car was still at the scene and had not yet been located. Officers then pulled back from the home and requested a tactical unit before searching further, according to the North Royalton Police Department.

The sequence suggests police were still working to determine whether anyone else was inside and whether the suspect remained nearby. The department has not described any broader threat to the neighborhood or said whether neighbors heard anything before officers arrived.

Tactical team later found Stefan Pascu dead downstairs

When the tactical unit entered the home, officers found Stefan Pascu dead on the lower level with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, police said. Authorities did not immediately release a motive or say what led to the shootings.

North Royalton detectives are leading the case with help from the Ohio Bureau of Investigation. Police said the inquiry remains open as investigators continue to piece together the timeline inside the home.

Officials have not said how long Pascu had been at the house before the 911 call, or whether he was already inside when the daughter contacted dispatchers. Those details may become clearer as detectives gather statements and review the scene.

CBS affiliate WOIO reported the daughter feared her ex husband was unstable

The victims’ daughter told dispatchers it was her birthday, according to CBS affiliate WOIO. She also said she and Pascu had been divorced for 10 years and believed he was unstable after recently returning from Romania, the station reported.

That account adds a personal layer to a case already centered on a family dispute with fatal consequences. Police have not publicly confirmed those statements beyond what was relayed during the emergency call.

Authorities are typically cautious about discussing motive in the early stages of a homicide investigation, especially when the suspect is also dead. In this case, investigators have only said the deaths are being handled as a police investigation with state assistance.

A quiet suburb is left with unanswered questions after the shootings

The killings took place in North Royalton, a suburban community southwest of Cleveland, where residential streets are usually quiet in the evening. A sudden response involving patrol officers and a tactical unit would have been a striking sight for neighbors on Tiffany Drive.

Police have not released information about the weapon, the exact time of the shootings, or whether there had been prior calls involving the family. They also have not said whether the victims and Pascu lived nearby or how the estranged relationship may have affected the events leading up to Tuesday night.

For now, the case remains focused on the three people found dead inside the home and the investigation that follows. Detectives are expected to continue working through the evidence, witness statements, and phone records connected to the call.

What investigators have said so far about the ongoing case

The North Royalton Police Department has confirmed the deaths of Sorin Ciortan, Emilia Ciortan, and Stefan Pascu and said the case is under active investigation. The Ohio Bureau of Investigation is assisting local detectives with the inquiry.

Police have not announced any charges, and none are expected because the suspected shooter is dead. Even so, investigators may still complete a full reconstruction of events to understand how the confrontation began and how the victims were found in different parts of the house.

For the family, the immediate focus is likely on grieving and waiting for answers. For investigators, the work now centers on clarifying a deadly sequence that began with a worried phone call and ended with three deaths inside a single home.