Five children are left orphaned just days before Christmas after Blase Raia shoot his wife, Brooke Raia, in the head before turning gun on himself in horror murder-suicide at Altoona home

Five children were orphaned days before Christmas after their father shot their mother before turning the gun on himself in a suspected murder-suicide.

Local trader Blase Raia, 39, and his wife Brooke Raia, 34, were found Tuesday evening amid a bloody scene in their home near Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Logan Township Police Chief Dave Hoover told the newspaper Altoona mirror Officers believe Blase shot his wife in the head with a handgun following a “domestic dispute” in the basement of their home on the 600 block of South Dartmouth Lane.

Four of the children were home at the time of the incident and a fifth returned shortly afterwards. The police were called around 7:30 p.m.

State police arrived and took photos of the scene, which they turned over to Logan Township police, Hoover said. The coroner's office removed the couple's bodies the same evening.

Logan officers interviewed the minor children, along with others who had contact with the couple in the hours before they died.

“We're trying to get back – fill the day,” Hoover said, adding that police have not yet completely ruled out the possibility of third-party involvement. “We're trying to determine a motive.”

Brooke Raia, formerly Zimmerman, was a caring mother who worked two jobs to support her children, according to her obituary. She managed a local chiropractor's office and worked in an Amazon warehouse.

“Brooke enjoyed spending time with family, especially her boys, Kamden and Easton, and also enjoyed playing in alumni basketball games with her former Blue Pirate teammates, known as 'The Bad Moms Club,'” the tribute reads Bolger Funeral Home.

'She also enjoyed going on holiday with her family. Some of her favorite places were the beach, the Caribbean and going to Atlanta to watch the Braves.”

Blase worked as a machinist gang leader at Norfolk Southern's Juniata Locomotive Shop, and enjoyed motorcycles, drag racing, hunting, bowling and spending time with his children, according to his obituary.

Jim Patterson, a former colleague, said the Altoona Mirror Blase was a “nice guy” and “a good worker.” “He seemed very well-liked by his colleagues,” Patterson said.

“My prayers and thoughts are with the survivors – the children and the parents.”

Local trader Blase Raia, 39, worked as a gang leader machinist at Norfolk Southern's Juniata Locomotive Shop, and enjoyed motorcycles, drag racing, hunting, bowling and spending time with his children, according to his obituary

Brooke Raia, formerly Zimmerman, was a caring mother who worked two jobs to support her children, according to her obituary. She managed a local chiropractor's office and worked in an Amazon warehouse

Another friend of Blase's, Donny Algieri, said they used to drag race together and he created one GoFundMe page for the five children who raised nearly $60,000.

A family photo was shared at the fundraiser, showing the Raia couple smiling together surrounded by their five children on the beach.

“I am organizing this fundraiser for Blase and Brooke's five children who tragically lost both of their parents five days before Christmas,” the fundraiser reads.

“While I'm sure Christmas is the last thing on their minds, they deserve our support, but they need to know that both the racing community and their families have their backs.

'Help me let these children know that we are there for them. I know times are tough for people, especially this time of year, but anything will help.”

According to the Altoona Mirror, Brooke also came from a racing family and her father was a famous motorcycle racer turned regional highway announcer.

Blair County Children, Youth and Family Services placed the children with other relatives, Hoover said.