Suspect in Oshawa, Ont., killings was largely shut out of father's will at time of shootings, documents show

The man suspected of wounding his sister, fatally shooting her husband and three of their kids inside their Oshawa, Ont., home last week, was all but left out of his father's will, according to court documents obtained by CBC News.

Instead, Mitch Lapa's sister Loretta Traynor and her children were the beneficiaries of almost all of her late father's estate.

Police say Lapa, 48,was an "uninvited person" when he drove from his home in Winnipeg to targetTraynor and her family.

Traynor was wounded and is still recovering. Her husband Christopher Traynor, 50, and three of their four children werekilled.

Durham Regional Police have identified the children as Bradley Traynor, 20, Adelaide Traynor, 15, and 11-year-old Joseph Traynor.The couple's fourth child, Sam, was not in the home at the time.

Police say after shooting his sister's family, Lapa fatally shot himself.

Sister inherited cottage

Before his death in 2019, Matthew Lapa made it clear in his will thathis son Mitch would not receivemuch of his wealth.

The will was signed on Sept.25, 2015. It makes no mention of why his son wouldn't benefit the way his daughter would.

In April 2018, Matthew transferred sole ownership of his North Kawartha, Ont., cottageto Loretta, according to land registry documents.

After he diedin January2019, his will also stated she and her four children would receive the proceeds of the sale of his Oshawa home. It sold in March 2020 for approximately $430,000.

She was also entitled to other financial assets underthe estate.

As for Mitch, the will stated he would receive only $30,000. It also indicated that if he tried to challenge the will, he would be cut out entirely.

Police won't say if the will may have sparked tensions between Mitch and Loretta, or if it might have been amotive for the homicides.

A spokesperson for the Durham Regional Police Service says investigators are aware of the information, but do not divulge motives in active homicide investigations.

"We'll follow up on any lead or information," Dave Selby told CBC News. "We are looking at everything."

In the days after the shooting, many in the Oshawa community mourned those who were killed.

WATCH |Here's what one memorial looked like:

Makeshift memorial grows for Oshawa family members killed in shooting

4 years ago

Duration 4:15

CBC reporter Angelina King provides an update on an apparent murder-suicide in Oshawa. Four members of one family were killed. Police allege that the lone shooter was a relative. The family was well liked and respected in the community.

On Thursday, the Traynor family issued a statement via police thanking the community and asking for privacy as they continue to grieve and recover.

"The entire Traynor family would like to state how profoundly grateful we are for all the kind messages of condolence and support this past week, as well as for the tributes at the house and the schools," the letter states.

'None of us were surprised'

Most recently, Mitch Lapa had been living in Winnipeg where he worked for a property management company. Prior to that he spent several years driving a bus in Fort McMurray, Alta.

Some people that grew up with him say they immediately suspected he was involved when word of the killings spread.

Samantha Campbell knew Lapa when he was a student at Oshawa's O'Neill Collegiate and Vocational Institute.

"None of us were surprised he could have done this," she told CBC News.

She saidLapa was intelligentbut abusive.

She described how Lapa once invited people over to the family home for a party, then shot fireworks at them later thatnight.

"I saw all this red smoke. He just said, 'Thanks for coming, everybody,'" she recounted.

A young woman at the party was badly burned as a result, she said.

She saidLapa was a "disgusting person" who often bullied or victimized others violently.

"He started getting creepy and weird," she said.

Campbellsaidher biggest concern now is for his sister.

"Everybody we know keeps thinking about her and how she's going to get through this," she said.

Another former high school friend, Ted Minett,saidLapa was arrested as a teen for carrying a gun while walking down an Oshawa street.

It's unclear if charges were laid or what the outcome of that incident was.

"He was manipulative and struck fear into people," Minettsaid.