Bend man shot, killed woman, then self, in motel parking lot, police say

(Update: Police release names; court records show dismissed strangulation charge; comments from family members)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Bend man accused earlier this year of strangling a woman called 911 to report he’d shot her late Friday night, then killed himself in a motel parking lot, police reported and court records showed.

Officers responded around 10:45 p.m. to the report of a shooting that had just occurred involving Room 28 at the Holiday Motel, at 800 Southeast Third Street, Lt. Robert Jones said.

Before officers got there, the 21-year-old Bend man, later identified as Antonio Martin Lopez, had called Deschutes County 911 dispatchers to report he’d shot a woman and asked for officers to respond right away.

Police officers, sheriff’s deputies and Oregon State Police troopers rushed to the scene, finding the man and a 20-year-old Bend woman, Jazarae Danielle Caubet, dead in the parking lot, along with a handgun, Jones said.

The Central Oregon Emergency Response Team (CERT) also responded to the scene to clear the room and check on the welfare of others at the motel, the lieutenant said.

Jones later said, “Based on information obtained during the investigation, it appears that Lopez shot and killed Caubet. Lopez then called 911 to report that he just shot Caubet, and then he ended his life by suicide.”

While it’s not known what led to the shooting, Jones said police confirmed “Lopez and Caubet knew each other.”

No one else was injured, Jones said, adding that “there is no safety threat to the community.”

District Attorney John Hummel told NewsChannel 21 that “no one else was involved in the events” of late Friday night.

“This is a tragedy,” Hummel added.

Court records show Martin was charged in March with strangulation constituting domestic violence and with harassment involving Caubet, and a judge issued a no-contact order. The case was dismissed in late May as the prosecutor cited insufficient evidence, the records show.

Caubet's older brother, Joe Caubet of Redmond, told NewsChannel 21 his little sister "was a loving, caring young lady. She changed her life around from poverty, since moving up here (from California)."

He said they were the closest members of their family: "Me and her were best friends."

Caubet said she was working at the Carl's Jr. on the south side of Bend.

"She bettered her life since" arriving here, Caubet said. "She just got wrapped around a guy who was verbally, mentally and physically abusive."

Lopez's grandmother, Josie Raphael, told NewsChannel 21 her grandson was a landscaper and the couple had been planning to move into their first apartment next Tuesday. He had saved money and was going to open his own landscaping business.

"My grandson was not a bad kid," she said. "He fell in love at a young age. He felt he was doing the right thing by helping this individual."

"They were both toxic to each other, but my grandson loved her," Raphael said. "They both had issues, they would argue like any normal couple."

"My family are going into shock, asking why? No one can give us answers."

"He was my first grandson," she said, in tears. "We just want answers. It's just sad. There's two people dead. That should never have happened."