Richmond, VA: 3 bodies in Henrico fire were murder-suicide

JOE MAHONEY/TIMES-DISPATCH
Henrico firefighters spent most of Friday at a house in the 1700 block of Debbie Lane, where three bodies were found.
By STAFF REPORTS
Published: January 25, 2010

RICHMOND, Va. -- The Richmond medical examiner's office today said the three people found dead in a burning house Friday in Henrico County weren't fire victims but the victims of a murder-suicide.
The office said Robert Ware and his son, Ashton Ware, were homicide victims, both killed by a single gunshot wound to the head, and Virginia Ware -- Robert's wife and Ashton's mother -- was a suicide victim, also killed by a gunshot wound to the head.
Henrico police spokesman Eric Owens this morning said the county fire marshall's office has determined that the fire was started in the central portion of the home.
"It appears the fire was started in an attempt to destroy the home," he said. "We are still awaiting official lab results to determine what if any material was used to accelerate the fire."
The three bodies were pulled out of their brick-and-frame ranch house in the 1700 block of Debbie Lane early Friday afternoon.
Neighbors saw the house on fire and called authorities at 8:18 a.m. Friday, and the first firefighters on scene found the bodies inside the burning house.
For more details on the victims, check back later today and TimesDispatch.com and see tomorrow's Richmond Times-Dispatch.