17 News concludes our Red Cross Real Heroes profiles with the story of Navy Lieutenant David Reis and his sister Karen. The brother and sister were shot to death in Coronado on New Year’s Day. The family sat down with 17 News for their first TV interview since that tragic day.
David and Karen Reis shared a close bond at a young age. “We have pictures of the two of them sitting side by side, for the last 23 or 24 years. They’re not sporadic. When they were together, they would always get a picture together,” said father Tom Reis.
Their last picture together would be their last night alive. Their last photo was snapped New Year’s Eve, hours before they were shot to death, along with two other men inside David Reis’ Coronado condo. Sheriff’s investigators said later that week that his roommate killed the other three, before killing himself. But now, they aren’t saying who pulled the trigger.
“In a really surreal way, it was almost a relief that they had been shot. David hasn’t used his gun. It was a good feeling to know they hadn’t done anything wrong and they lived even in the last moments with integrity,” said mother Patty Reis.
