Firefighters have found two adults and two children dead of apparent gunshot wounds after extinguishing a blaze at a home in Houston.
The victims were two adults - a woman and a man in their 50s - and two children - a girl and a boy between 10 to 13 years old.
The bodies were found in a house in the 7500 block of Imogene in Southwest Houston.
Houston Chief of Police Troy Finner said that he suspected the attack was related to domestic violence.
He said there weren't any signs of forced entry at the house, and the fire may have been an attempt to destroy evidence or disguise something at the scene.
Those killed have not been named by police, as officers are still notifying their family.
The bodies were found after the Houston Fire Department got a call around 8am alerting them that there was a fire in the residence.
Firefighters found the bodies after they had put out the fire.
Neighbors alerted Houston Fire Department of a fire in 7518 Imogen Street shortly after 8am on Sunday. After firefighters put out the fire, they found the bodies
Houston Chief of Police Troy Finner revealed that the four victims found in a house fire in Southwest Houston had gunshot wounds in their bodies. The two adults, a female and a male,, were in their 50s, and the children , a boy and a girl, seemed to be between 10 to 13 years old
Residents in the area have provided video footage that is now being reviewed by police.
Neighbors have also said that they saw a vehicle approaching the house but police have not confirmed that it is related to the incident.
'We want to ask for prayers for the family, we haven't even been able to reach next of kin, we are very early in the investigation.
'I don't feel its a random event, there is no forced entry from outside.
'Whoever is responsible for this, you rest assured we're going to find them,' said Finner.
Chief Finner said that the fire might've been started to destroy evidence from the crime. 'Whoever is responsible for this, you rest assured we're going to find them,' said Finner
Police said they are in a very early stage in the investigation but feel confident about the evidence left behind
Chief Finner said they are in a very early stage in the investigation and will not make any speculations, but he did say that although the house was considerably damaged, they felt confident about the amount of evidence that was left in the crime scene.
It is not known if the adults were husband and wife or their relationship to the children, and police declined to say where exactly in the house the bodies had been found.
Finner asked anybody with information about the crime to call police.
'Nobody deserves that. I get emotional and everybody does,'
'It´s real sad. When it´s innocent kids, it´s even more upsetting.' said Finner.