The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office has identified four family members found dead in their Westwood Highlands home as Thomas Russell Ocheltree, 57; Paula Truong, 53; and their two daughters, Alexandra Ocheltree, 12, and Mackenzie Ocheltree, 9. Police discovered the bodies on October 9, 2024, during a welfare check at the residence on the 900 block of Monterey Boulevard.
Officers responded around 1:30 p.m. after receiving a 911 call from Ocheltree’s brother requesting the welfare check. Police spokesperson Officer Robert Rueca indicated that evidence pointed toward a criminal case, describing it as a criminal action rather than a natural death investigation.
The San Francisco Police Department’s homicide unit is leading the investigation, though authorities have not officially classified the case as a homicide. Sources familiar with the investigation told news outlets that the deaths appear to be a possible murder-suicide, though the medical examiner has not yet determined the causes and manners of death pending autopsy results.
Behind the family’s outward appearance of prosperity lay mounting financial troubles that had spiraled out of control over recent years. Public records reveal that Truong and Ocheltree faced an escalating series of business failures, loan defaults, and ultimately the foreclosure of their family home.
The couple had purchased the Monterey Boulevard property in 2014 for $1.3 million, with Truong listed as the primary owner. Over the following years, she leveraged the home as collateral for multiple loans, eventually accumulating debts exceeding $2.7 million from various lenders, including private individuals, Cathay Bank, and National Fleet Wholesale.
Paul Bleeg, a retired tax partner at accounting firm EisnerAmper, described Truong as a driven and accomplished entrepreneur who had been his client for approximately 15 years. He explained that Truong initially operated an auto dismantling business before transitioning to European car repairs under the name Zentrum Motors. The couple later expanded into the restaurant and retail sectors.
Their business ventures included four Orbit Coffee locations that specialized in Vietnamese iced coffee, honoring Truong’s heritage. Three locations operated in Oakland with one in San Jose, but all four closed in 2023. The couple also operated Starr Spirits, a high-end liquor and wine retailer they opened in 2020 after purchasing a deli from Almir Zalihic. That business also shuttered in 2023.
Zalihic noted that the couple transformed his former deli into an upscale establishment but struggled to connect with the residential neighborhood’s clientele. He observed that they raised prices significantly and created an atmosphere that deterred local customers despite the attractive interior renovations.
As their businesses failed, foreclosure proceedings began against the family home. National Fleet Wholesale initiated the process to seize the property for unpaid debts, and despite the couple’s attempts to delay the public auction, the home eventually sold for $2 million. In March 2024, Truong and Ocheltree lost ownership to entities tied to their mortgage company, which was owed nearly $2.5 million.
Additional financial pressures mounted when Discover Bank sued Truong in San Francisco Superior Court in January 2024 for $17,716 in unpaid credit card debt. A judge’s default ruling in April ordered her to pay the full amount plus $441 in costs, totaling $18,157.26.
Despite losing ownership, the family continued living in the home, and sheriff’s office records indicated they had received no formal eviction notice. Neighbors described them as a quiet family known for elaborate holiday light displays who had moved into the neighborhood approximately one year ago.
Neighbor Jatin Kathuria mentioned that he had seen the family frequently when he first moved in, but noticed less activity in recent months. Another neighbor, Belinda Hanart, could hear the children playing in the garden and the family having outdoor dinners, but she also observed decreased movement around the property lately.
The family regularly visited Mudpuppy on Castro, a pet-grooming business, over the past four years with their dog Mango. A manager at the establishment described the pet as well-behaved and noted that she always received ear dyeing services during visits.
This incident has deeply affected the typically peaceful Westwood Highlands neighborhood, where residents described such violence as extremely rare. Fire department official Samuel Menchaca acknowledged the challenging nature of scenes involving multiple deceased individuals for first responders.
By October 10, neighbors and community members had begun leaving flowers and memorial items outside the family home, creating an informal shrine to honor the victims and mark the community’s loss.
