A man shot and killed his wife and two others in his home in eastern Los Angeles County on New Year's Eve before his son wrestled the gun away and fatally shot him after a possible dispute over a washing machine, authorities said.

The two other victims killed were the son's 48-year-old girlfriend, who also lives at the house in Rowland Heights and a 27-year-old man who was visiting, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Friday.

The shooting was reported at 8:38 p.m. in the 2200 block of Batson Avenue in Rowland Heights, according to the sheriff’s department’s Walnut station.

The 54-year-old man, whose name has not been released, allegedly pulled out a semi-automatic pistol and opened fire. His 33-year-old son, identified as Christopher Morey, wrestled the gun from his father and shot him once, killing the man, according to the sheriff's department.

Morey was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder because he took the gun from his father, which neutralized the the threat, then chose to shoot him, investigators said. He was being held in lieu of $1,000,000 bail.

Deputies reached by phone did not know if he has an attorney who could comment. Morey and his girlfriend were living in the home with the 54-year-old mother, who had recently had a stroke.

"They had been taking care of her," Corina said. "She was in a hospital bed there in the middle of the living room."

The 54-year-old father was a heavy drinker with a large gun collection, and authorities had made dozens of previous trips to the home, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said. Deputies said they have responded to 25 calls for service within the last three years at the address where the shootings occurred.

Investigators were talking to surviving witnesses to figure out what led to the deadly encounter.

"It looks like it was a dispute between the dad and the son's girlfriend, probably over using the washing machine," Sheriff's Lt. John Corina told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. "For some reason, this set the dad off."



Authorities have not released the victims' names, but family members identified the 27-year-old as Ernie Calzadilla. His father, Ronald, said he warned his son multiple times not to visit the home.

"I told him a couple of times to stay away because that guy is not right in the head and he might kill somebody," Ronald Calzadilla said.

Ernie Calzadilla leaves behind a wife and a 8-month old daughter, according to his father.

The cause of the shooting is under investigation.