Reported by: Jay Warren
Photographed by: 9News
Web produced by: Neil Relyea and Ian Preuth
Independence police are investigating the deaths of three people found inside a home on Freedom Trail Drive in Independence Tuesday night.
Police say the bodies of 43-year-old Seaward Padilla, 45-year-old Lori Padilla and 22-year-old Jessica Padilla were found inside the burning home. Police say it appears all three victims died from apparent gunshot wounds. Autopsies will be performed to determine the cause of death for each victim.
Police say a man called 911 from the house.
Investigators say when police and fire crews arrived around 9:30 p.m., someone from inside the house fired shots at them.
Crews discovered Jessica Padilla's two-year-old daughter by the front door of the house. She was unharmed and is believed to be with relatives at this time.
Once police and fire crews entered the house, they discovered the bodies of the victims.
Neighbors told police they heard gunshots before the fire.
"We'll proceed on as we would with any criminal investigation," said Assistant Chief Dave Nichols of the Independence police department.
Nichols told 9News that he believed the fire to be "suspicious." The Kentucky State Fire Marshal will determine how the fire started.
Police said they were looking at all possibilities as to what happened.
"I haven't seen anything, but you hear things," said neighbor Tony Daly.
Daly told 9News that he and his neighbors widely believed there was some sort of domestic trouble in the household.
"Off and on spats and stuff. For awhile now," continued Daly.
The incident remains under investigation.
