Couple Found Dead In Separate Crime Scenes

"NEW ORLEANS, LA - Members of the New Orleans Police Department are investigating the deaths of a 49-year-old man and his 42-year-old wife whose bodies were found this weekend.

"The New Orleans Fire Department said the man -- identified as Hai Cao -- was found dead after a fire at a home that was under construction in the New Orleans East area early Sunday. The woman's body was found in a nearby house. She was identified as Lan Than.

"Police said they were treating the finds a homicide and suicide.

"Rescue crews responded to reports of the fire at 11110 Parkwood Ct., just before 7 a.m.

"Upon arrival, NOFD personnel found a house with smoke and fire coming from the garage area in the front, left side of the dwelling. Fire crews forced entry into the garage of the dwelling, which was under construction and had no utilities servicing the structure.

"Upon extinguishing the fire, firefighters located the body of a man on the floor of the garage near the passenger side of the vehicle parked inside.

"Officer Jonette Williams said detectives later received information that the man's wife had been injured inside a home in the 11300 block of North Parkwood Court.

"`Officers entered that residence and located her inside that home, suffering from apparent stab wounds to the body,` said Williams. `She was pronounced dead on the scene.`

"Detectives said they were looking into whether the deaths may have been related to a domestic dispute between the victims.

"`They had been having some marital difficulties,` said NOPD Assistant Superintendent Marlon Defillo. `We did find what we believe to be notes that were left by the husband.`

"Relatives were left speechless, and neighbors said they're trying to make sense of what happened.

"`He was a nice person,` said neighbor Andrew Nelson. `I mean, the man, we talked to him, you know, and we told him we'd watch out for him and everything. But until this morning, it just happened. Things happened for a reason.`

"`That's horrible,` neighbor Kevin Joiner said. `That doesn't really happen around here like that all. This is a quiet neighborhood. That's just horrible.`

"Police said they're not sure how the man died, but they think he used an accelerant to ignite the car."

From WDSU.com...