NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The NYPD released surveillance video Tuesday of a suspect in the deaths of a couple in their 70s who were stabbed and set on fire inside their Queens home.
The couple—who haven’t been publicly identified—were a 77-year-old man and 78-year-old woman loved by neighbors on their quiet street in Bellerose.
Official believe they've identified the suspect, who they described as having a lengthy criminal record. He was released from prison two years ago.
According to police, the suspect entered the couple's corner home at 87-86 254th St. around 3:20 p.m. Monday.
Detectives are still investigating exactly what happened inside the home, but reports emerged of the grisly discoveries made during the investigation.
According to police, the male victim was repeatedly stabbed and the female victim was set on fire. The man's body was found tied to a basement pole, while his wife's body was found burned on the first floor.
The medical examiner is working to determine their exact causes of death. The FDNY fire marshal meanwhile determined the cause of the fire to be an incendiary.
According to police, one neighbor recalled a man knocking on the door and asking to charge his cellphone. Minutes after that encounter, surveillance video captured the male victim and the suspect walking inside the home around 10:15 a.m. The suspect left about five hours later, shortly after 3 p.m.
As the NYPD arson and explosion squad investigated, shocked neighbors watched in disbelief. The couple had lived at the home for decades.
“He was always the cool neighbor across the street, nice guy,” neighbor John Ruiz said. “He would wave to you whenever you’d be walking by. You know, he’d talk to you about the Yankees and how they’re doing.”
“I just saw them this past week,” Ruiz recalled. “Just coming home to this. On a normal Monday, I’d be parking right across the street from his house. He’d be parking and coming back from the grocery store. And we’d salute each other. ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ And it’d be Yankee talk.”
The suspect is believed to be in his 30s and was last seen wearing a black hat, black jacket, blue jeans and black sneakers, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.