The Butler County Coroner's Office has completed the autopsy of a man found dead Monday morning, Oct. 26, in a vehicle parked at Jelly Bean Junction on Winton Road.
Francisco Restituyo, 47, of Liberty Twp., died of a gunshot wound to the head. His death was a suicide, according to Coroner Dr. Richard Burkhardt.
At 10:45 a.m., today, Oct. 27, Burkhardt said an autopsy was still being conducted at the Butler County Morgue on Evelyn Restituyo, 46, of Colerain Twp., but her death is believed to be a homicide.
Evelyn Restituyo and Francisco Restituyo were discovered in a Jeep Cherokee by a lawncare service employee around 9:15 a.m. Monday at Jelly Bean Junction at Mack and Winton roads - three hours after the daycare opened.
According to officials from the Butler County Corone's Office, Evelyn was in the back seat and Francisco was in the front seat.
Lt. Kevin Haddix said the victims were married at one time, but does not know if they were officially divorced. He said they were living in different homes.
As far as why the bodies were in the SUV at Jelly Bean Junction, Haddix said that's still to be determined. Haddix said a handgun was found inside the vehicle, but won't know if it was used in the shooting until it is tested.
"The results of the autopsy will shed some light on it," he said.
Haddix said he believes the Restituyos were not at the daycare long before it opened.
The vehicle was in the first parking spot from the Winton Road entrance. Haddix said the investigation indicates the deaths are not related to the daycare.
Rob Hammann, who owns Hammann's Butcher Shop and Catering across the street in the Winton Plaza, dropped his 3-year-old daughter off Monday morning.
"I was on my way in and I asked the officer if I could leave my daughter here," he said. The officer told Hammann he could, and to park at the other end of the lot.
Hammann said he knew at that point it had nothing to do with the day care. He said the Jelly Bean Junction staff said it had notified all parents their children are safe, and it's business as usual inside.
The children were unaware of the investigation outside. Hammann said the daycare had done a good job as far as the children are concerned.
"How do you prepare for something like this?" he said.
Staff writer Lauren Pack and Local12 contributed to this report.
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