How could someone do this?

I woke up to the radio news this AM, and they reported on a story from LA where a family was found dead in there home after the husband/father shot and killed the entire family including himself. This family consisted of a mother, a husband, and five kids - including two sets of twins.

The radio reported that this murder-suicide was as a result of the couple losing their jobs during this economic crisis, and the father feeling that he had 'no other choice' but to end their misery.

I did some research on the story and found it here in the LA Times. There is much more to the story than the radio reports, the father and mother were let go because of misconduct not because of the economic situation, but nonetheless, it just makes me sick to think that a parent, any parent could rationalize killing his own children, 5 children - making it the best option for everyone.

I think what gets me even more is that he shot each child in the head... and that at some point during these horrific actions, some of the other children probably witnessed these events as a part of their last hours/minutes in this life.

I have no idea who this man is or what his life was like, but I think that what he did was such a selfish thing... if he wanted to take his own life because he couldn't deal with the stress of life - I guess he's entitled to decide that, but he has no right to make a life-ending decision on behalf of his wife and especially his 5 children.

I think this is in part my motherly rage now coming to light... but I really couldn't get back to sleep this AM after hearing this story. What is your take on it?