WEST GREENWICH, R.I. — When paralegal Danielle Arruda didn’t show up for work on Thursday or Friday, police officers went to her West Greenwich home for a wellness check on Friday morning.
Officers arrived at the tidy, single-family home at 15 Cheyenne Trail just before 10 a.m. They saw two vehicles parked in the driveway.
The officers tried repeatedly to get someone to answer the door. Nobody came.
Officers forced their way into the home. They found the bodies of Danielle Arruda, 39, who was seven months pregnant; her two young children, Adel Arruda, 5, and Felex Arruda, 2; and her husband and the father of her children, Nicholas Arruda, 39, who reportedly shot his family and then shot himself in the head, West Greenwich Police Chief Richard Ramsay said Wednesday.
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An M4-type semiautomatic firearm was found near Nicholas Arruda, on the floor.
The scenario is one that left several in the Rhode Island community in shock and mourning the loss of Danielle Arruda and her family -- with some calling for greater attention to the signs and dangers of domestic violence.
“We grieve deeply for those that knew and loved her,” Sojourner House, a nonprofit agency in Providence that provides services and assistance to victims of domestic and sexual violence, wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday about Danielle Arruda.
“This horrific act underscores the critical need for greater awareness, prevention, and support services for those affected by domestic violence,” the agency wrote. “No one should live in fear within their own home.”
“At Sojourner House, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing shelter, resources, and advocacy for survivors. We urge anyone who is struggling or concerned about a loved one to seek help—support is available, and you are not alone,” the agency wrote.
In 2014, Nicholas Arruda was arrested for domestic violence. The victim was another woman, and not Danielle. That case was dismissed when the victim refused to cooperate, Ramsay said.
Years later, in December 2019, he and his wife, Danielle, bought their home on Cheyenne Trail. West Greenwich Police had no prior contact with the family until Jan. 3, when officers found their bodies inside the home, the police chief said.
“I wish there could be an explanation to help you make sense of this horrific act, but the truth is we may never know why it happened,” Ramsay said Wednesday. “The investigation to date hasn’t yielded any explanation or clues as to why Nicholas Arruda committed the horrendous crime against his family before taking his own life.”
If you are a victim or know someone impacted by domestic violence, Sojourner House wants you to get help.
The Providence agency, founded in 1976, was named after Sojourner Truth, a 19th-century slave-turned-abolitionist who was an ardent advocate for women’s rights.
“Our organization derives its name from our goal to give victims and survivors a place to “sojourn,” as many are enduring the most challenging period of their lives,” the agency writes on its website.
The agency has a drop-in center at 1570 Westminster St. in Providence. It also has a 24/7 Helpline that victims may call: 1-401-765-3232.
Anyone living outside of the Providence area who is in need of help may call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit the website for more information.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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