HELOTES, Texas – Helotes authorities have released the names of two people found dead on the altar of a Catholic church there.
Police say Zeferina Castillo, 54, and Manuel Rodriguez, 51, died in an apparent murder-suicide on Wednesday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church off Riggs Road and Highway 16.
Lt. Elliot Rodriguez with the Helotes Police Department said officers received a call for shots fired at the church just after 3 p.m., and when they responded, they found the front door locked and they could see two bodies inside.
Despite previous reports, Castillo and Rodriguez were not parishioners at the church and did not live in Helotes.
Rodriguez said a pistol was found between the two bodies, which were near the church altar. A medical examiner ruled that Castillo was shot several times in the upper torso. Rodriguez was found with one gunshot to the head.
No other people were inside the church at the time, police said.
The two were a couple, police said, and investigators believe Rodriguez told Castillo to meet him there.
Family members were under the impression that they were no longer seeing each other, however. Police say Castillo was hiding the relationship.
The church held Mass as scheduled Thursday morning. About 50 people attended the service, which parishioners said is normal turnout.
"I came this morning because I want to pray especially for them in this holy ground," Margaret Sanders said.
Sanders said she had been wondering what could have led to the tragic event.
"I really have been just praying for those souls that are so tormented that they had to desecrate a church in that manner," she said.
Margaret Joyce said she was saddened by what happened in her church and couldn't even begin to make sense of it.
"People are so desperate," she said.
Castillo was the owner and president of Castillo Mission Funeral Home, located in the 500 block of General McMullen, in San Antonio.
According to funeral home Director Art Gandar, the funeral home staff is "continuing to love Mrs. Castillo and her family and we hold (her and her family) close to our hearts."
Castillo's late husband's father founded the funeral home. She took over as president when her husband died several years ago, Gandar said.
Gandar said the Castillo family will issue no further statements.
Funeral arrangements for Castillo and Rodriguez are both pending.
KSAT reporters Jenna Hiller and Jessie Degollado contributed to this report.