Firefighters were called to a home in southeast Houston right around 11am Thursday and were told that one person was already down in the kitchen. But they soon found a second body and knew quickly that the fire was probably not what killed them.
Investigators say this crime scene stretches from the front door, through the house and to the garage. Two people are dead and the suspect is their young relative.
"I was just walking out from here to across the street and there was just this little fumes and that was it," said neighbor Fernando Lopez.
Neighbors thought all the commotion was over a simple kitchen fire. By mid-morning, as arson and then homicide investigators showed up, they learned that was not the case.
"It's shocking," said family friend Kimberly Williams. "I'm floored right now."
Police say a relative walked into a gruesome crime scene at this home in the 8100 block of Dover.
JJ Wilson with HPD Homicide explained, "Apparently the grandfather and the visiting aunt from California had been murdered at this location."
According to police, the victims are local Pastor Clements Vincent Dorsey, 89, and his daughter, 61-year-old Barbara Anne Dorsey Alexander. Both suffered blunt force trauma. A third person in the house -- the pastor's wife -- slept through the entire ordeal.
"She's elderly and has dementia, so she wasn't even aware of what was happening," Wilson said.
Police say the suspect is Cameron Dorsey, 20. He lived with his grandparents until Sunday when they asked him to move out. He has a criminal history of theft against the elderly. Now police want to talk to him about the murders of his grandfather and aunt.
Wilson said, "He attempted to cover up the crime with a fire."
Detectives say the pastor's wife also was in the house at the time of the murders but she was unharmed.
The Dorsey's church family is in disbelief at the thought of their former young church drummer possibly harming one of his own.
"Pray for them. That's all you can do now," Williams said.
Detectives have said the home was ransacked. They are working with family members to go through the contents of each room.
Cameron Dorsey is believed to be possibly be driving his grandfather's vehicle, a gold 2004 Toyota 4Runner, with one of two possible Texas license plates -- 467 WNT or 8DF BW, a handicapped plate.
Meanwhile, the family is planning a vigil for Friday night.
