Police confirmed Aug. 2 that shots fired by a Carmel Police Dept. officer are what they believe led to the July 27 death of Julio Cesar Virula.
Officers had been searching for Virula, who moments before allegedly shot and killed his girlfriend, Taylor Cox, 28, and shot her 66-year-old mother, who survived. Police said Virula raised a handgun toward a Carmel Police Dept. officer, who fired multiple shots with his patrol rifle to protect himself and other potential victims. Virula died in the 5300 block of Rippling Brook Way.
An autopsy showed that Virula died of multiple gunshot wounds.
Police said the incident began with an argument between Virula and the victims inside a residence in the 14300 block of Riverrock Court in Carmel’s Spring Creek neighborhood. Emergency dispatchers received a call during the argument at approximately 8 a.m. expressing concern that Virula was armed with a gun and threatening suicide. During the 911 call dispatchers heard gunshots.
Cox and her mother were shot multiple times before police arrived. Police located Virula, who fled the scene on foot, through 911 calls from other residents in the area.
The officer directly involved in the shooting has been temporarily reassigned during an administrative review of the incident.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information or evidence, such as video surveillance recordings, are asked to call the non-emergency dispatch line at 317-571-2580.
