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The Family Found Dead in Their Sydney Home Were Reportedly Gassed

One neighbour reported seeing the father, Fernando Manrique, installing a series of pipes through the roof of the home on the weekend.

On Monday, police forced their way into a north Sydney home to discover the bodies of Maria Lutz, her husband Fernando Manrique, and their two children—Martin, 10, and Eliza, 11—as well as the family dog. There was no evidence of struggle. The bodies were found in separate rooms, without any outward signs of injury.

At the time, Northern Beaches Local Area Command Superintendent Dave explained that while the police weren't actively searching for a suspect, they had no clear answers to what had happened to the family. "We're gradually working our way through a very tragic circumstance to get to the bottom of it," he told reporters.

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Now it appears the family were gassed to death. According to an update from NSW Police, there is a "possibility the family members died from the introduction of an air-borne gas."

Reports issued this morning point the finger at father Fernando, 44, who'd been seen over the weekend installing a series of pipes into the ceiling of their home. "He was right up on the roof replacing tiles and using power tools of sorts," one elderly neighbour told The Daily Telegraph. "He was cutting and banging and making all sorts of noise and pulling up tiles but I don't really know what he was doing."

Police allegedly found a number of gas cylinders around the home during their initial search on Monday. While the type of gas has not been revealed, several news sources have claimed the gas was quietly pumped throughout the home via the pipes installed through the ceiling. With a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, Mr Manrique would've potentially had the knowledge to do this.

While a toxicology report is still being prepared, tributes and condolences are pouring in for 43-year-old Maria, and the two children, Martin and Eliza.

"She never let any of her troubles show, she was a fighter, and she was tough," a woman who knew Maria through St Lucy's primary school in Wahroonga told 7.30 "She was always caring about everyone else, it didn't matter what was happening in her life, she was always most worried about everyone else."

Ana Lutz, Maria's sister who lives back in Colombia, also took to Facebook to voice her sadness. "Always fighting for all and for all! My cute doll…One more angel in heaven, an angel given to their children, life!!"

Neighbours and friends have been leaving flowers on the lawn of the home that is still heavily cordoned off as a crime scene.

St Lucy's School is holding a prayer service on Tuesday for students and staff.