DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - A homicide investigation is underway at a gated community in Doral after four family members, including two children, were found dead inside their home in what detectives described as an apparent murder-suicide.
Doral Police units responded to a call of a welfare check in the area of Northwest 111th Court and 72nd Terrace, in the Catalina section within the Doral Isles community, just after 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Officers who responded to the call, made by a family friend, entered the residence to find four unresponsive people with stab wounds: a woman, a man and two girls ages 8 and 11.
Paramedics with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to the home and pronounced the four of them dead at the scene.
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Homicide Bureau detectives responded to the scene and took over the ongoing investigation. They later identified the people found deceased as 46-year-old Melanie Hyer, 42-year-old Ryan Whiten, 11-year-old Savannah Whiten and 8-year-old Sienna Whiten.
Area residents on Wednesday were shocked to learn about the disturbing discovery.
“Oh, my God. It really surprised me, because it’s a community [that’s] very safe, so we don’t understand what happened,” said neighbor Chelo Paredes. “I’m really, really sad, everybody’s sad in the community.”
One neighbor shared cellphone video showing the street full of first responders.
As of 9 a.m. on Wednesday, there is no longer a police presence in the neighbor, as the investigation continues.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.