Father kills wife and kids and turns the gun on himself in $2million home.

The family of five who were shot dead in a murder-suicide at their $2million lakeside mansion were killed at the hands of father Brian Short, sources say.

Short, 45, was found dead in the garage of the home in Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, on Thursday. He reportedly died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound - and the weapon was next to his body.

The bodies of his wife Karen, 48, and their three children - son Cole, 17, and daughters Madison, 15, and Brooklyn, 14 - were discovered in their bedrooms. 

The family (pictured) were found dead on Thursday in different rooms of their luxury home

Cole Short, who was found dead with his sisters and parents, had posted cryptic posts about his relationship with his mother and father on social media in 2013 (above)

Sources who spoke to both the Minneapolis Star Tribune and CBS Minnesota said it was Brian who shot dead his family. 

A law enforcement source also confirmed this claim to KSTP.

Police would not say who the shooter was at a press conference on Friday afternoon - but local Fox reporter Paul Blume reported the locations of the bodies and said that authorities were taking a closer look at Brian's business affairs. 

Officers are still unsure what the motive was for the killings.