BELLEROSE, Queens (PIX11) – A paramedic discovered his parents dead after they were set on fire Monday at their Queens home, sources told NesNation local affiliate WPIX.
Police said the couple’s home on 254th Street caught on fire around 3:20 p.m.
Sources told PIX11 News that a 77-year-old man, the paramedic’s father, was discovered tied to a pole in the basement. His 78-year-old mother was also found in the basement and had been burned beyond recognition, according to sources.
Sources said the suspect entered the home sometime in the late morning and did not leave until minutes before firefighters arrived, likely “terrorizing” the couple for hours.
The son works for the FDNY and was on duty at the time of the fire, according to sources. His parents were both retired, with his mother being a former teacher and his father a social worker, according to sources.
The NYPD is searching for a suspect in connection with the house fire. A man believed to be in his 30s or 40s was seen on camera walking past the home, according to authorities.
Police said the suspect was wearing a black hat, a black jacket, blue jeans and black sneakers.