Investigators are considering the deaths of three individuals found Tuesday in Strasburg Township to be murder-suicide.
Carola Arnau, 40, and her two children, ages 10 and 4, were found inside 1433 Village Road Tuesday morning when emergency-responders were dispatched there for a house fire.
All three individuals were shot. The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office performed autopsies Wednesday and found the individuals died of gunshot wounds.
Evidence and information gathered in the investigation indicates Mrs. Arnau shot both children and herself, and also a dog found deceased in the home.
Also, fires were intentionally set at multiple locations at the home and detached garage. Mrs. Arnau set those fires with use of an accelerant.
Miguel Arnau, Carola’s husband and father of the children, was at work at the time of the shootings. Nothing at this point indicates he was involved in the shootings or the fires.
The firearm believed to be used in the shootings was found by Mrs. Arnau’s body. Soot from discharge of a firearm was found on Mrs. Arnau’s hand.
Mrs. Arnau had been receiving mental-health treatment prior to the incident.
Emergency-responders were dispatched to the Village Road home about 3:00 a.m. for a report of a house fire. Upon arrival, responders found the woman and juveniles apparently deceased in a bedroom.
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.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright