WEST GREENWICH, R.I. (WPRI) — Police continue to investigate after a family was found dead in their West Greenwich home last week. Police believe 39-year-old Nicholas Arruda shot and killed his pregnant wife and two young children before taking his own life. "I understand this is a heartbreaking time for the relatives and friends of the Arruda family, as well as the West Greenwich community. 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," West Greenwich Police Chief Richard Ramsay said. Officers went to the Cheyenne Trail home Friday morning to perform a well-being check after 39-year-old Danielle Arruda's coworkers reported that she had not been to work for a couple of days. Upon arrival, police found the bodies of Danielle Arruda, who was seven months pregnant, 5-year-old Adel Arruda, and 2-year-old Felex Arruda. They all had multiple gunshot wounds from a semiautomatic gun, police said. Officers also found Nicholas Arruda with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. On the ground near him was an M4-type semiautomatic firearm, according to police. The gun is believed to be the one used in the shooting, but police said a formal examination of the weapon has not yet been conducted. Two other firearms, a Mossberg shotgun and a semi-automatic rifle, were found in the home and police say they are all believed to be purchased legally. "It was also apparent that no one had exited the house because the door that was accessible to the outside was not only locked, but had a safety chain latched, which could only be done from the inside of the home," Ramsay said. Police say they believe the shootings took place sometime between Wednesday night and Thursday morning based on reports from neighbors who heard "popping" noises. The family has lived at the home since 2019 and police had no prior contact with them. Police said Nicholas Arruda had a prior felony domestic arrest in West Warwick back in 2014, but it was dismissed when the victim refused to cooperate. The victim was not Danielle, police added. Friends and family say Danielle and Nicholas loved each other and their children. People have since left flowers and a teddy bear on the steps of their home. As of now, police said there are no clues pointing to a potential motive. "It's heartbreaking," Ramsay added. "There's not really much you can do with an investigation like this. It's pretty much self-explanatory, but we still have to go through all the motions to find out if there was anything that somebody missed, any reason that would lead someone to do what he had done to his family. But to date, we have not been able to come up with anything." If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, seek help immediately: National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 Rhode Island Helpline RI: 800-494-8100Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center: 800-494-8100Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center: 401-738-1700Women's Resource Center: 401-846-5263Crossroads RI: 401-861-2760 Massachusetts SafeLink: 877-785-2020SSTAR Women's Center: 508-675-0087The Women's Center: 508-999-6636New Hope: 800-323-HOPE (4673)Health Imperatives: 508-588-TALK (8255) WATCH: West Greenwich Police Chief Richard Ramsay takes questions from the media. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup SIGN UP NOW