Couple, Adult Son Found Shot To Death Inside Burning Fair Lawn Home

FAIR LAWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Authorities found three family members shot to death in their Fair Lawn, New Jersey, home that had been set on fire in what appears to be a double murder-suicide.

Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir Grewal on Thursday said what happened in the home was a "domestic event.''

CBS2's Meg Baker reported the son killed his parents before pulling the trigger on himself.

Police received a 911 call about the house fire around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. The flames were under control within an hour.

Grewal said authorities found the bodies of 76-year-old Richard Tempe, his 73-year-old wife Barbara and their 53-year-old son, Richard Jr., inside the home along with a firearm.

"All three victims suffered gunshot wounds," Grewal said. "We did determine, during the course of the investigation, that the fire at the location was intentionally set."

Grewal said the investigation is ongoing, but that residents are safe.

"I want to reassure members of the Fair Lawn community and Bergen County that the matter is limited to a domestic event," he said.

Neighbors said they never suspected anything was wrong.

"To hear something like that, it's totally shocking because it's a nice, very quiet group over here," neighbor Steve Leone told CBS2's Janelle Burrell. "It's amazing anything like that would happen."

"They were a wonderful family," Pam Coles said. "If you ever needed anything all you had to do was knock."

Residents said the Tempes had lived at the home for more than 50 years, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported.

"I'm in disbelief," Coles, who grew up next door to the Tempes, said. "I cannot believe it. All I can say is I cannot believe it."

The adult son lived with his parents and the father had served on the Fair Lawn Board of Education and worked in the schools, CBS2's Baker reported.

"He was a janitor in the school system," Coles said. "Son, I don't know. Worked from home on the computer."

Coles called the family "fabulous, wonderful human beings" whose doors were always open.

The prosecutor's office is awaiting final confirmation from the medical examiner to determine who pulled the trigger.

Autopsies are expected to be completed tomorrow.

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