Skeletal remains discovered in condominium of shooter

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The skeletal remains of two people were found in a man's apartment after he went on a deadly shooting rampage at a crowded convenience store.

Antonio Pineiro, 48, was shot to death by police Thursday after opening fire with two handguns at the Top Valu Market and killing a woman and an 8-year-old girl.

"We have not clearly established the motive," police Lt. Bill Blair said.

Neighbors said Pineiro lived in a condominium behind the store with his parents in this city 25 miles from Los Angeles. But the elderly couple had not been seen for a year. Investigators suspect the remains might be those of his parents.

Police found the remains on a bed. The victims had been dead perhaps more than a year, but their age and sex and the cause of death could not immediately be determined because of decomposition, Blair said.

Pineiro had no criminal record before he walked into the store and opened fire, spraying dozens of bullets. People were running from the store when police arrived and confronted Pineiro, who was standing near the checkout counter.

The gunman fired at least one shot at police but missed and was hit by return fire, Blair said. All told, more than 40 shots were exchanged, he said.

Conrado Ibasco, 45, dragged his wife to safety in a store aisle after his 8-year-old daughter, Barbara, was shot in the head as she stood in line with her mother at the checkout counter.

"I said to my wife, 'Just leave Barbara. She's going to be fine,' but I knew she was dead," Ibasco said.

Also killed was store clerk Marcela Perez, 38.

Ibasco and his wife were treated for gunshot wounds and released, as were two other victims.

Pineiro's neighbor Derek Duncan said Pineiro rarely spoke to anyone and was only seen getting the mail or smoking cigarettes by the back gate, which opens into the convenience store parking lot.