RANCHO CORDOVA – The a sidewalk on the corner of a small cul-de-sac in a south Rancho Cordova community has been the site of a growing remembrance in recent the days following a tragedy that shook the normally quiet neighborhood, and on Sunday it grew larger as it filled with people who came together in to remember and honor an entire family whose lives came to a tragic end last week.
Just before 7 p.m. Sunday, neighbors and community members gathered on Mill Water Circle in the Kavala Ranch neighborhood for a candlelight vigil remembering 49-year-old Lindsey Burger, her 13-year-old son Colton Peralta Vallerga, and her 11-year-old daughter Sydney Peralta Vallerga, all of whom were shot and killed by 58-year-old David Vallerga, who then turned the gun on himself.
The gathering drew an extremely large crowd that reflected the makeup of the surrounding neighborhood, with attendees ranging in age from young children to seniors, and an abundance of families present. Many arrived carrying flowers to add to the growing memorial outside the family’s home, where candles, notes, photos and other items of remembrance had accumulated throughout the week. Many of those that came together were from the immediate neighborhood and walked to the site along with members of other nearby communities drove to attend.
Some who gathered had known the family personally, while others had not. Still, many said the loss of an entire family in a close-knit, family-centered neighborhood was deeply felt, even by those without a direct personal connection.
“We don’t live right here, we live about a mile or so up the road in Anatolia,” said Richard Olson, who parked up the street and walked to the vigil with his wife Crystal and their young twin boys. “We didn’t know them at all but felt compelled to come here and pay respects, it’s just a terrible tragedy that’s still hard to fathom. Spending a few minutes out here tonight just felt like the community thing to do.”
In front of the family’s home, the court itself had also become part of the memorial. Children in the neighborhood used chalk to write messages of remembrance and support, adding their own expressions of grief. Throughout the evening event, neighbors spoke quietly with one another, sharing memories, offering support and standing together in moments of silence. The vigil included time set aside for reflection and a moment of prayer, as the community collectively honored those lost and mourned in unity.
Candles glowed throughout the gathering, and for those who arrived without one, candles were offered by others nearby, reinforcing the sense of togetherness that defined the evening.
In the days leading up to the vigil, Mill Water Circle had already become a place where people paused to reflect. Neighbors, families from nearby streets and people from elsewhere in the community visited throughout the week to leave flowers, candles and other items of remembrance. Certainly, most people nearby are continuing to ask how something like this happened here, that’s a puzzle that may take some time to put together.
Sunday evening’s strong turnout underscored how deeply the loss has resonated in a neighborhood known for its concentration of families with children. Parents stood with their children, some of whom had played with Colton and Sydney years earlier. Others attended alongside neighbors they had never met, united by a shared desire to show support.
Throughout the past week, neighbors, parents, educators and community members spoke out across numerous social media platforms and in news coverage, sharing memories and observations that offered insight into who the family was beyond the circumstances of their deaths. The outpouring extended beyond Kavala Ranch, with messages coming from Elk Grove and other nearby communities where the family lived and worked.
Along with her husband, Lindsey helped operate Grade Power Learning, a tutoring business that served families in Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove and surrounding communities. Neighbors and those who knew the family said the work was another way Lindsey expressed her passion for helping others, particularly children and families navigating academic challenges, and reflected the same quiet commitment to service that many remembered in her everyday interactions.
“She really was a quiet leader in that way,” said Emily Autenrieth, owner of A Seat at the Table Books and Coffee, who shared reflections this past week. “She really was setting an example for all of us.” Last Thursday, Autenrieth also hosts a community grief gathering at her business for others to come together as they process what occurred, as well as the unknown.
Those that knew the family also shared that his mother’s focus on learning was reflected in Colton, who was remembered as inquisitive and academically curious. He was known to enjoy talking about science, astronomy and ideas that stood out for a child his age.
“He’d talk about the constellations and the stars,” said Suzanne Hanrahan, a nearby resident who also shared her memories this past week. “He just seemed to have a wealth of knowledge for the child his age.”
Sydney was remembered as being very gentle and kind, often seen alongside her mother and comfortable interacting with neighbors. Residents spoke about small, everyday interactions that stood out in hindsight — moments of kindness and warmth that felt ordinary at the time and now carry deeper meaning and also leave many wondering just what went wrong.
Parents in the neighborhood shared that their own children had played with Colton and Sydney. Several have also said there were no real outward signs of trouble prior to the incident. Residents described the household as quiet and private, similar to others in the area, a detail that has made the tragedy especially hard for many to reconcile.
It was Tuesday that Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of gunfire at the Mill Water Circle home shortly after 8:30 a.m. Minutes later, the man later identified as Vallerga contacted 911, identified himself as the shooter and claimed he had set ‘booby traps’ inside the residence, prompting evacuations and a large tactical response.
Deputies established a perimeter and attempted to make contact with anyone inside the home for several hours. The Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Detail deployed armored vehicles, including a BearCat and a smaller armored Rook vehicle, to safely breach the property. After making entry through the rear of the residence, deputies deployed a drone inside the home to assess conditions and determine whether it was safe to enter.
Using the drone, deputies located Vallerga unresponsive inside the residence with a firearm in his hand. Only after confirming there were no active threats did deputies enter the home, where they found all four family members deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. The Sheriff’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team later conducted a full sweep of the residence and confirmed that no explosive devices or traps were present. They did determine that Vallerga, who reportedly had a previous military background, had two firearms on him and found 14 firearms stowed in the residence as well.
Homicide detectives with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to the deaths, focusing on what may have occurred in those days and weeks before the shooting. While the case has been ruled a murder-suicide, investigators have said determining a motive remains an active and ongoing part of the investigation.
Detectives are reviewing evidence recovered from the home, examining digital records and interviewing family members, friends and others who may have had recent contact with the family in an effort to better understand what led up to the tragedy. Authorities have said that process can take time, and answers may not come quickly for a community left with many unanswered questions.
For residents of Kavala Ranch and surrounding neighborhoods, Sunday’s vigil reflected an ongoing process of collective mourning as they continues to seek understanding following a tragedy that claimed an entire family that didn’t seem as if it had any issues.
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