SALT LAKE CITY — Days after two bodies were discovered in a Salt Lake City office building, police say it was a father who murdered his teenage son before taking his own life.
On Saturday, a community member alerted authorities after they found a body inside an office complex located at 2936 South Highland Drive.
Officers responded and discovered two people dead inside a building in the area.
Newly released information identified the two individuals as Parth Gandhi, 49, and his 16-year-old son, whose name was not given by police.
Police report that Gandhi killed his son inside the complex before he died by suicide.
Gandhi had an office in the complex, where he worked as a neuropsychologist.
As part of the investigation, police conducted a welfare check at Gandhi's residence near Sunnyside Park however, details about what may have been discovered during the welfare check were not disclosed.
The complex where the bodies were discovered is comprised mainly of medical and health-related offices, FOX 13 News reported previously.
Officials say school resource officers have worked with the Salt Lake School District to provide resources to students and the community who may have been impacted.
Denise Druce says she has known Gandhi for 12 years.
"He was a student in my yoga and cycle classes at 24-Hour Fitness," said Druce.
Druce told FOX 13 News she had not seen Gandhi in about a year but remembers him as a people person.
"He ran events at his house, yoga events and meditation events. I was at his house a couple of times and was able to meet his kids," said Druce.
Rachel Cieslewicz is the owner of Centered City Yoga. She says Gandhi started teaching yoga for them in 2018 and stopped around the time of the pandemic in 2020, before teaching a little bit when they reopened.
Cieslewicz says it has been about a year and a half since he last taught in their space.
"We had youth groups at our studio. He would volunteer and teach for free just to help the kids," said Cieslewicz.
That's why it is hard for Druce and Cieslewicz to understand the events that took place on Saturday, when Gandhi and his teenage son were found dead inside a Salt Lake office building.
"Just reeling over it — I'm in utter shock. It's not something I ever see coming from him at all," said Cieslewicz.
For those who knew and shared the same passion for health and fitness with Gandhi, they are now left with more questions than answers.
"I just don't know why, and it's heartbreaking. It's devastating," said Cieslewicz.
"Until we have more details, I'm going to reserve judgment and just hold a lot of compassion in my heart for the people who are left in the aftermath of this overall," Druce added.
