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Man allegedly set home on fire; 2 found dead inside
Police are searching for a man they say intentionally set a Queens home on fire. First responders found two people dead inside the home, and the deaths are being investigated as a double homicide. FOX 5 NY's Lisa Evers has the latest details.
QUEENS - The NYPD is searching for a man they say intentionally set a Queens home on fire. First responders found two people dead inside the home, and the deaths are being investigated as a double homicide.
What we know:
According to the FDNY, the fire started on Monday just after 3 p.m. at the corner of 200 54th St., near 87th Dr. in Bellerose. Officials say the fire began on the 1st floor and quickly spread. Around 60 firefighters were able to put out the flames within an hour.
Firefighters discovered the bodies of a 77-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman – believed to be the man's wife – inside the home. Sources tell FOX 5 NY’s Lisa Evers that the suspect allegedly got inside the home by asking the couple living there if he could charge his phone. Sources say that the man was tied to a chair in the basement, and the woman was found on the first floor.
Meanwhile, police describe the suspect as a man between 30 and 40 years old, with a medium build.
He was last seen wearing a black hat, black jacket, blue jeans and black sneakers. Sources tell Evers that the suspect is currently on parole and has a long history of criminal justice involvement.
What they're saying:
Police have yet to release the victims' names, but neighbors say they had lived in the home for the past 40 years. The home was built in the 1920s and was only just recently renovated.
"He was older than me because he was telling me stuff about the Yanks that I never knew," one neighbor said. "That was our conversation, the Yankees was always conversation. It sucks man, to come home to this is like you know, you hear about this stuff happening in other neighborhoods and you feel for it, but when it happens, like literally right across the street from you dude, it's not cool."
What we don't know:
It’s not clear yet if any valuables were taken from the residence. The medical examiner will determine the official cause of death.
What you can do:
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).