Domestic violence expert: Victims can't predict abuser's behavior

Four people were shot and killed in Northeast Florida Tuesday in two separate cases of domestic violence.

Two of the women killed had restraining orders against the men who ultimately took their lives.

“You don’t know from this day over here, where he respects the laws and is willing to abide by the laws of our land, then today he steps over the line and says forget it,” Quigley House CEO Peggy Payne said.

Police said Murray Lancaster shot and killed his ex-girlfriend Valorie Short, his ex-wife Erica Green and Short's father Welland Short before taking his own life in Green Cove Springs.

Trending on ActionNewsJax.com:

• Deputies: Florida man kills tourist, has sex with her corpse
• Woman chases convicted video voyeur out of Yulee Target
• Woman, son beat up after rescuing dog from car in Clay County
• Police: Woman arrested after calling man 300 times
• Report reveals JSO officer had sex with prostitute

Short had an order of protection taken out against Lancaster after an incident in March where he attacked her and her father intervened.

Just hours later in a separate incident, police said Jose Maldanado shot and killed his ex-girlfriend at the Putnam County Health Department before turning himself in to police.

Police said Maldanado had a restraining order taken out against him to stay away from the woman.

“This is a community problem and today we saw it in action,” Payne said about domestic violence.

Quigley House works with more than 1,200 domestic violence victims a year, offering everything from counseling to shelter.

Payne encourages anyone facing domestic violence to use the services of places like Quigley House as well as the legal system.

“We’re not here to pass judgment on anybody,” Payne said. “We’re not here to look at the victim and say 'why do you stay?'”

Quigley House offers support for both adults and children.

Anyone in need of help can call the organization's 24-hour hotline at 1-800-339-5017.

Action News Jax will have the latest in the investigation into these shootings on CBS47 Action News Jax at 11.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES & INFORMATION:

-Quigley House

-Hubbard House

-The National Domestic Violence Hotline

-Intimate Partner Violence: Consequences

-National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey

-Intimate Partner Violence, 1993–2010

-Florida Domestic Violence Resources

Cox Media Group