Police release few details in homicide investigation

Rochester firefighters responding to a fire at 193-195 Leighton Ave. early Monday morning discovered the bodies of four adults. Police are treating the deaths as homicides and the fire as an arson.

A man who said he was the uncle of one of the victims said Michael Adams was among those found dead. Several RPD homicide investigators, as well as District Attorney Sandra Doorley, were at the scene Monday morning.

Rochester police had not identified any of the victims or their gender. The department held a news conference Monday afternoon, but did not divulge any new details.

"We would like the community to come forward with any information," said Investigator Jacqueline Shuman, spokeswoman for the Rochester Police Department, who in a news release earlier in day called it a "homicide/arson investigation."

[Listen: Firefighter discovers dead bodies in city arson]

David Burroughs said he first came upon the cordoned-off block of Leighton Avenue, between Bowman Street and Culver Road when he was taking his granddaughter to work. He said his sister called him later and said Adams was killed in a house fire.

"He's a good kid," Burroughs said. "He was always on the go all the time."

Burroughs said he was not sure whether Adams had moved in or was just visiting the house, which a next-door neighbor said had an apartment on the first floor and one on the second floor.

"He shouldn't, he shouldn't have been in that freaking house," Burroughs said as he sat in his car, looking east on Leighton Avenue toward the light tan house.

Throughout the morning, several cars slowed at the intersection of Leighton Avenue and Bowman Street. One man showed a photo of a woman to a police officer, asking if the officer knew who had been inside the house. The man, who declined to give his name or that of the woman, said he had been trying to reach his friend after hearing news of the fire at the house.

An occupant of the three-story home called 911 just before midnight, Deputy Chief Mike Dupra of the Rochester Fire Department said.  Firefighters found the first-floor occupant outside of the house when they arrived, he said.

Firefighters discovered the four adults once they were inside the home, Rochester Police said in a news release.

A recording of the transmission between the firefighters searching the home floor-by-floor and command staff provides a record of the discovery of the bodies — first one, then three, then four.

"I now have four deceased victims; this is going to be a crime scene," a firefighter tells his commander in the recording. "It appears the fire is out."

The fire, in the staircase between the second and third floors, took approximately 15 minutes to put out and was confined to the wall space adjoining the stairs, Dupra said.

Shortly after noon, police had an Audi towed from the driveway of 193-195 Leighton Ave.

Betty Schmidt, who lives around the corner on Bowman Street, said she received a call Monday morning from a friend asking whether she, as well as someone they both knew, were safe.

"I came to see what was going on," she said. "This is so sad. Oh, God, have mercy, Jesus. Put them in prayer, that's all we can do."

The property is owned by Terrence P. Ryan, a real estate broker and investor who lists an office at 1750 East Main St. in Rochester, according to public records.

Ryan paid $18,500 for the home in October 2014 from a mortgage lender that had previously acquired it through a foreclosure action, records show.

Ryan said his prayers are with the families of the deceased but deferred comment to police out of respect to their investigation.

Includes reporting by staff writer Jon Hand.