HILLSBORO, Wis. -- People in two southern Wisconsin communities are searching for answers after a man shot and killed his family while they slept, before turning the gun on himself.

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Sheriff's officials say Joseph Ganshert, 42, apparently killed his wife, Mary Ganshert, 36, and her two children Mandi Ganshert, 5, and Troy Klein Jr., 14, Wednesday in their Hillsboro home in Vernon County. Officers found the three at the residence at about 7:40 p.m. with gunshots to the head.

After killing his family, officials say Joseph Ganshert went to his sister's farm in Gratiot, about 15 miles southeast of Darlington in Lafayette County and shot himself.

Vernon County Sheriff Gene Cary said notes found at the scene showed the man believed his family was going to "a better place," and one read, "God asked me to bring my family to heaven."

All were shot in the head while they were sleeping. Officials said there is no motive for the crimes, and there where no red flags about the family, prior to the killings.

"This family, for all practical purposes, was unknown to law enforcement," Cary said.

The Lafayette County Sheriff's Department found the body of Joseph Ganshert first. While investigating his apparent suicide, they found documents at the scene that led them to believe that Mary Ganshert could be in danger.

They then called the Vernon County Sheriff's Department for them to check on her, but family members had already contacted authorities because they hadn't heard anything from her.

The Hillsboro school district administrator Scott Peterson said the girl was a kindergartner at the elementary school and the boy a ninth-grader at the high school.

LaFayette County Sheriff Scott Pedley said neighbors are shocked and confused.

"The whole thing was so terribly tragic -- the loss of these lives," Pedley said. "It runs through my mind, what could possibly be so wrong that could cause a person to do this? It's just horribly tragic."

"To try to comprehend and understand a 5-year-old being shot by a biological parent just defies all logic and ...we're trying to work through that," said Vernon County Undersheriff Jim Hanson.

Joseph Ganshert was a Richland Center factory worker.

Mary Ganshert grew up in Hillsboro and worked as an auto shop accountant in New Lisbon. She was known to be very involved with her kids and school.

Troy Klein Jr. also has family in Verona and Stoughton.