Police are investigating the deaths of three individuals – a woman and two juveniles - found Tuesday morning at their Strasburg Township home.
Emergency-responders were dispatched to 1433 Village Road about 3:00 a.m. for a report of a house fire. Upon arrival, responders found a woman and two juveniles apparently deceased in a bedroom of the home.
Flames were extinguished in the home and in a detached garage.
The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office pronounced the three individuals dead at the scene. A dog in the home also was deceased.
Pennsylvania State Police determined the deceased woman to be Carola Arnau, 40, who resided at the home.
The juveniles were determined to be Arnau’s children – a 10-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy.
The three individuals, and the dog, all sustained gunshot wounds.
State police, in consultation with the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, are investigating the incident, and have interviewed individuals and collected evidence from the scene/area.
At this point, we have made no determination on cause and manner of the deaths.
investigators believe the shootings were not random.
Evidence at the scene, including a firearm recovered by Arnau’s body, and numerous interviews with individuals close to the family, has shown the incident was domestic in nature.
Miguel Arnau, 45, the father of the two children and Mrs. Arnau’s husband, resides at the property, in the detached garage. The investigation revealed he was not home at the time of the shootings or when the fire was intentionally set. We have nothing to indicate Mr. Arnau was involved in the shootings or the fire being set.
To reiterate, the investigation is ongoing and a final determination has not been made on the shooter or cause and manner of the deaths.
We do not believe the public is in any danger.
Autopsies are planned for Wednesday morning.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright