A tragic event unfolded in Prescott Valley on Thursday morning as three individuals were found dead following a house fire on Yavapai Road. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the fire was reported after neighbors alerted authorities to gunshots and cries for help emanating from the residence.
Authorities, who were unable quickly to enter the burning structure due to the ongoing fire, discovered two women with multiple gunshot wounds and a man with a single gunshot wound to the head after extinguishing the blaze. "Including that the house was on fire, that there were shots fired and that a woman was screaming for help. So on arrival, because the house was on fire, our officers could not enter the residence even though unfortunately they were hearing gunshots going off at that moment," James Edelstein of the Prescott Valley Police Department stated through FOX 10 Phoenix. Investigators are treating the incident as a double murder followed by a suicide. Neighbors were evacuated as a precaution when the sound of gunfire was heard from the fire-engulfed house.
One neighbor, Cossette Thompson, recalled the morning's events, stating in an interview to FOX 10 Phoenix, "It's the weirdest thing thinking I was doing the dishes and 500 feet away a woman was getting murdered." The sense of normalcy was shattered for the Thompson family as they witnessed the emergency response and later learned of the grim reality behind the commotion.
As reported by ABC15, the victims were identified only by their ages as two women, 57 and 54, and a 52-year-old man. Police are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the complete circumstances surrounding this shocking crime. "We all get into the job because we want to protect people so it's incredibly frustrating when something stands in the way of us doing that and I can tell you that every officer that was out here yesterday morning is certainly not happy with the fact that they had to wait for that structure fire to be put down," Edlestein explained to FOX 10 Phoenix.
While police have stated there are no outstanding suspects and there is no ongoing threat to the public, the community remains in shock. A GoFundMe page has since been established to support two of the victims. For those seeking to offer condolences and financial support, the fundraising effort is accessible through the information provided by local news sources.
