A Queens couple in their late 70s were found deceased in their Bellerose home following a fire on Monday that police are investigating as a double homicide. The victims, whose identities have yet to be publicly released pending family notification, were discovered after firefighters responded to a 911 call at approximately 3:30 p.m. and managed to extinguish the blaze at the house located on 254th Street and 87th Drive, according to Gothamist.
NYPD officials believe that the fire was set intentionally and are actively seeking a man reported to have entered the house shortly before the fire broke out. He is described as being in his 30s to 40s, last seen wearing a black hat, a black jacket, blue jeans, and black sneakers. The New York Post released a video showing the suspect entering the home through the back door after the male victim opened it at around 10:15 a.m. on the day of the incident.
The same suspect is then seen leaving the property hours later, at approximately 3:08 p.m., which is about 14 minutes prior to the sounding of the fire alarms. Prior to entering the couple's residence, the individual had attempted to gain access to another location but was rebuffed, as reported by the New York Post. The NYPD has asked for public assistance in identifying the suspect.
Found on the scene were the male victim, dead and chained in the basement, and the female victim, also deceased, located on the first floor. Crews worked to carefully remove bodies from the house, the state of which was evident from the blown-out first-floor windows and the damage visible from the exterior. The couple's son, who serves as an FDNY paramedic, was informed of the fire by neighbors and rushed to the site, as per sources cited by the New York Post.
Historically, homicides are an uncommon occurrence in the 105th Precinct of Queens, encompassing Bellerose and several other eastern neighborhoods. NYPD data highlights that only one homicide took place in the precinct through September 7 this year, a reduction compared to the same period last year. The NYPD is continuing to sift through debris and collect evidence, urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward and contact the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline.
