Police say a California man drove into a hospital parking lot with his wife’s body in the passenger seat and told people there he’d killed her

Roy Lopez, 37, is currently in custody after allegedly killing his wife at their Morgan Hill, California, home. Following the incident, he drove his wife to the parking lot of Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose and informed medical staff that he had killed her, according to NBC. Morgan Hill police believe the couple’s three children, ages three, six, and 14, were inside the home when the incident occurred.

Authorities located the kids during a protective sweep of the residence. Officers escorted the children to the Morgan Hill Police Department before releasing them to the Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children’s Services. Staffers attempted to perform lifesaving measures on the woman after Lopez arrived with her in the vehicle, but she was pronounced dead right there in the parking lot.

Police took Lopez into custody at the hospital without incident. He was later booked into jail on suspicion of murder. Morgan Hill Police Department Sgt. Sean Bayard provided details on how the authorities were alerted to the situation. “Our dispatch center received a call from San Jose Police Department advising that a male subject had drove into the parking lot of Good Samaritan Hospital and advised people in the area that he had killed his wife,” Bayard said.

Police believe the three children may have seen what happened

Investigators believe the alleged killing happened at the family home on Vintage Lane, more than 20 miles from the hospital. Police believe the three children may have witnessed the attack, as they were found inside the home. The couple had been married for more than 10 years, and no restraining order had been filed against Lopez. While the investigation is still ongoing, police have confirmed that a firearm was not used in the killing.

However, officials have not yet released a cause of death or a motive for the act. The cause of death could affect the charges, as former prosecutor Steven Clark said the manner of the killing will be very important to the case. Court records show Lopez has been arrested before. He was arrested in 2014 on suspicion of rape by force. However, prosecutors eventually dropped the charges.

He was also arrested in 2010 for battery against a spouse or cohabitant, and he was ultimately sentenced to volunteer work in that case. Clark said the case against Lopez is likely to include a murder charge, as the alleged admission at the hospital should be its centerpiece. Moving forward, the police department expects to present the case against Lopez to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution in the coming days.