Her concern about a former husband at her parents’ home led officers to discover the couple and the former son-in-law dead.
NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio — A woman’s concern after spotting her former husband’s vehicle at her parents’ North Royalton home led police to discover three deaths Tuesday night, including both of her parents and the former husband, authorities said.
Police identified the woman’s parents as Emilia Ciortan, 71, and Sorin Ciortan, 71. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner identified their former son-in-law as Stefan Pascu, 71. Police said the couple were found with apparent gunshot wounds and Pascu was later discovered with what investigators described as an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not released a motive, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The couple’s daughter contacted North Royalton police shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday after seeing Pascu’s vehicle in the driveway of her parents’ home in the 8900 block of Tiffany Drive. She told police that Pascu was not welcome at the residence and said she had been unable to reach her parents.
Police said the daughter and Pascu had been divorced for about 10 years. She told officers that he had recently returned to the United States from Romania. Authorities said Pascu lived in Parma and that no protection orders were in effect. Police have not said why he went to the Ciortans’ home or disclosed evidence establishing what happened before the daughter contacted authorities.
Responding officers were unable to contact anyone inside the house and entered the residence. Police said Emilia Ciortan was found dead in the dining room and Sorin Ciortan was found dead in an upstairs hallway. Both had apparent gunshot wounds to the head.
Because Pascu’s vehicle remained outside but officers had not found him, police withdrew and requested the Southwest Enforcement Bureau tactical unit. Tactical officers later entered the residence and found Pascu dead in a lower-level room. Police said a firearm was nearby. The scene was then secured, and officials said there was no ongoing threat to the surrounding neighborhood.
The deaths unfolded as a family-related call rather than a report of an active shooting. That distinction shaped the first information released by police, who initially described the incident as an unwanted-guest call. The fuller relationship among the three people became public as investigators and the medical examiner identified those who died and police released additional details about the daughter’s call.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is assisting North Royalton police. Investigators remained at the Tiffany Drive property into Wednesday, gathering evidence and documenting the scene. Visible damage to windows and the home’s entrance was reported after the police response, but authorities have not publicly explained when or how that damage occurred.
The case has also been described by local authorities and news reports as domestic in nature because of the family relationship among the people involved. Police have not announced findings about what led to the violence, and investigators have not said whether there had been previous incidents involving the family that are relevant to the deaths.
North Royalton police and state investigators continue to examine the evidence. The medical examiner’s office has identified all three people, but authorities had not publicly released a final account of the sequence of events or a motive as of Thursday.
Author note: Last updated November 12, 2026.