A broke California businesswoman shot her husband and two children dead before killing herself, an autopsy has revealed.
Thomas ‘TR’ Ocheltree, Paula Truong, and their daughters Alexandra and Mackenzie died in the family’s $2million San Francisco mansion on October 8.
Alexandra, 12, and nine-year-old MacKenzie were found in their beds after having been shot in their chests, a medical examiner’s report released Monday revealed.
Ocheltree, 57, had also been shot in the chest in his bed, but had a pistol ‘loosely gripped’ in his right hand, according to the autopsy report reviewed by SFGate.
Their deaths have all now been ruled homicides. Officers previously stated they found no evidence of a struggle at the crime scene.
Truong, 53, died by suicide the same day, the coroner’s report stated. Her body, which investigators said had gunshot residue on it, was found hanging in the garage.
The family appeared to be battling money struggles, with Truong – an entrepreneur linked to several Bay Area businesses – having accumulated large debts in recent years, according to public records.
The home where they died was also in the midst of foreclosure and the couple owed more than $200,000 in back mortgage payments.
Thomas ‘TR’ Ocheltree (left) and his daughter Alexandra (right) and MacKenzie (front) were shot dead in their family’s $2million San Francisco mansion on October 8 this year
Paula Truong, 53, (pictured) died by suicide the same day, the coroner’s report stated. Her body, which investigators said had gunshot residue on it, was found hanging in the garage
Ocheltree, a California native, is remembered for being a ‘wonderful, kind and attentive father to his beloved daughters,’ his obituary stated.
He was the youngest of six children and had many life long friends.
Alexandra, known by her loved ones as Alex, was a student at A P Giannini Middle School in San Francisco. She is described as a ‘kind, sweet young lady who loved school, arts and crafts and crochet’.
MacKenzie, who attended Sunset Elementary School, loved playing with her friends and the family puppy Mango.
A family friend confirmed to the San Francisco Standard that Mango, who was not found in the home at the time of their deaths, ‘is safe’.
‘They departed way too soon and will be forever in our hearts,’ the Ocheltree family said of Ocheltree and his daughters in their shared obituary.
The trio are survived by Ocheltree’s mother, four siblings and many members of their extended family.
There is no mention of Truong in the obituary. Previous reports indicate that relatives blame her for the horrific tragedy that occurred at 930 Monterey Boulevard.
‘We are devastated. Thomas Ocheltree and his beautiful daughters are the real victims here. They played no part in this tragedy,’ a family member told KGO-TV just days after they were killed.
The family’s home on Monterey Boulevard (pictured) was in the midst of foreclosure and the couple owed more than $200,000 in back mortgage payments
Truong and her family had began golf lessens roughly a year before their deaths. Ocheltree is pictured practicing his swing
Ocheltree and Truong purchased their four-bedroom, three-bathroom Westwood Highlands home for $1.35million in 2014, according to county property records.
They took out a $2.24million mortgage on the home in March 2022, but defaulted on the loan later that year.
The property was foreclosed on in February last year, according to the documents.
Truong was also sued in January 2025 over a large sum of credit card debt owed to Discovery Bank, according to civil court records.
She was ordered to pay more than $18,000 to the institution in April.
Truong and Ocheltree, who wed in July 2006, were regarded as serial entrepreneurs and had a string of struggling businesses across the Bay Area.
But people who were recent witnesses to their lifestyle alleged there was nothing obvious to suggest that finances were tight or their idyllic home was in foreclosure.
Truong and her family began golf lessens roughly a year before their deaths, instructor Jim Wysocki told the Standard.
He claimed that the couple never spoke to him about anything other than golf, but noted Truong would often bring him food she cooked as a gift.
Truong (pictured on the golf course with Alexandra) peddled a series of strange allegations in the months leading up to her death, including that Alexandra’s middle school covered up the alleged poisoning of a fourth grade student in 2023
She also claimed that a parent armed with a weapon had been filming children on the playground during recess at MacKenzie’s elementary school. MacKenzie is pictured celebrating her 9th birthday this past March
Truong did however peddle a series of strange allegations to a San Francisco Standard journalist just five months before her death.
She alleged that a student at Alexandra’s school had attempted to poison a fellow classmate in 2023. Truong reportedly accused the middle school of covering up the incident.
Truong further claimed that Alexandra was having an issue with a teacher at her school, but Ocheltree declined to allow the family to comment on it due to an investigation.
She also claimed that a parent armed with a weapon had been filming children on the playground during recess at MacKenzie’s elementary school.
A report from the school reportedly found ‘no evidence of inappropriate … videotaping of children on the schoolyard,’ the newspaper reported.
Truong reportedly sent more than 100 text messages to the journalist over the course of three days, outlining accusations against the school, details of planned parent-staff meetings, and plans for a protest that never actually took place.
The Daily Mail has approached A P Giannini Middle School and Sunset Elementary School for comment, as well as the San Francisco police department.
Relatives blame Paula Truong for the deaths of Thomas, Alexandra and MacKenzie Ocheltree (pictured together in 2020)
Truong and Ocheltree owned and operated several businesses throughout the course of their marriage, but most notable was her Orbit Coffee shop.
She launched the coffee company in 2018, specializing in Vietnamese coffee. At its height, Orbit had three locations across Oakland and San Jose.
Truong, a Vietnam War refugee, aimed to create a ‘safe space’ for coffee lovers to come together. She told the Sprudge coffee blog in 2022 that she created Orbit because ‘I never felt I could take my children to a coffee shop.’
Orbit closed its cafes in May 2023, announcing on its Instagram page that ‘we’re working on something new and will be back before you know it.’ It never reopened.
Truong purchased the Monterey Deli, located just a few blocks away from their family home, for $155,000 in late 2020.
She turned the eatery into a shop called Starr Spirits, which sold wine, beer and some of her Orbit Coffee products.
But the business was apparently unsuccessful and state tax officials recorded over $47,000 in sales liens against the company, records showed.
Starr Spirits has since closed. The firm last posted on its social media channels in September 2023.
Truong, a Vietnam War refugee, launched Orbit Coffee Company in 2018, which specialized in Vietnamese coffee. She revealed in 2022 that she created Orbit because ‘I never felt I could take my children to a coffee shop’
Ocheltree and Truong also owned an auto repair business called Zentrum Motors, which is still open, according to Google
Ocheltree was also an entrepreneur and small business owner, according to his LinkedIn profile. He launched his own design company, Ocheltree Design, in 2014, which specialized in branding and packaging for the wine, beer and liquor.
Ocheltree and Truong also owned an auto repair business called Zentrum Motors, which is still open, according to Google.
Truong, described by a source close to the family as a ‘driven businesswomen and entrepreneur,’ owned the auto repair company when she and Ocheltree first met.
The company, at the time called All Mercedes-Benz, specialized in repairing luxury German-made vehicles.
They later rebranded to Zentrum after adding services for Porsche and BMW vehicles to their offerings, the source previously told the Daily Mail, noting that Ocheltree’s branding and marketing support made the expansion possible.
Ocheltree, who earned his bachelor’s of Applied Art and Design from Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, also helped Truong run the now-closed Tessera art gallery and event space.
Truong and her sister owned the gallery, the source said, but Ocheltree was the creative behind the space.