San Mateo Tragedy: New details emerge in murder-suicide of Indian American family

Ritu Jha–

The San Mateo Police Department said on Thursday that Indian-origin Anand Henry (37) shot his wife Alice Benziger (38) multiple times before she succumbed to gunshot wounds, and then shot himself. Their twin sons — Noan and Nathan — were also found dead, but their cause of death is still being investigated, police said.

Meanwhile, the brothers of Anand arrived in the US on Thursday, and a shocked community is trying to help the families send the bodies to India.

The horrific incident occurred on the afternoon of February 10, according to a new police report released February 15.

Jeanine Luna, Community Relations Officer at the San Mateo police department told indica that a family contacted the police department, When they did not receive any response they initiated a welfare check on February 12.

According to a press release, San Mateo Police officers were dispatched to the 4100 block of Alameda de las Pulgas for the welfare check. Officers entered the home and located one adult male, one adult female, and two children deceased inside.

Officer Luna confirmed to indica that no complaint of any nature was reported against Anand. According to court records, the husband filed for divorce in December 2016, but did not go through with it. On the divorce case filed in 2016, she said, “It’s not part of our investigation. We have no report of violence.”

“We are aware of a lot of things, and we don’t have the information, we are in contact with the family on both sides, yes, and we have talked to their families in person and on the phone both,” Office Luna told indica.

The police did not give on what date Alice’s mother left for India but according to community sources indica spoke with, she left on February 9 and reached India the next day. The call to the police was made on February 12.

“We are not investigating anyone outside of the people in the house, but during our interview process we talked to witnesses and neighbors and anyone who could provide information,” Officer Luna told indica. “It’s a murder-suicide, and it is determined a man killed his family before taking his life. We are still trying to get the motive and trying to gather as much information as we can.”

When asked if was it a case of mental illness said, “Our detective is doing the victimology to determine that. The autopsy was concluded yesterday.”

According to a press release, A 9mm handgun legally registered to Henry was located on the bathroom floor where both adults’ bodies were located.

The cause of death for the minor boys is still pending pathology, but indica can confirm they did not die from gunfire or show signs of bodily trauma.

There is no history of violence at the home, and outside of the context of this incident, the San Mateo Police Department has only responded to the home since 2020 on reports of a mountain lion in the yard.

When indica asked was there any complaint filed against Anand Henry, since there was a divorce case filed by him in 2016 the City of San Francisco police officer Robert Rueca told indica, “We are unable to locate any police reports based on information provided.”

According to the local community, the family was well-to-do and educated. Anand is the fourth sibling in the family of six, and his elder brother who lives in Dubai came on Thursday, while his brother from Singapore arrived two days ago and is in contact with the Indian Consulate and the police.

Alice’s mother has authorized Anand’s brother to handle all the requirements and paperwork.

The community member helping the family told indica, “Anand’s father Prof G Henry is former principal of Fatima Mata National College in Kollam (Kerala), and his mother is a professor as well. Many of his students are working in the US and so are helping the family at this time.

Anand graduated from TKM Engineering College, a popular vocational college in Kerala. The college has several alumni working in California. He was a member of the TKM Engineering College Association here, the community member said.

Alice worked as manager at Zillow Group, and she too hails from a well-to-do family.

Anand worked as a software engineering manager at Google for nearly eight years before joining Meta two years ago. He left Meta in June 2023 and started his business venture at www.logits.ai, a Generative AI-focused company.

The friend declined that there was any financial concern for the family. “Now the goal is to take bodies to India at this time. His father and her mother both talked to the police yesterday,” he said.

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