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Elderly Texas couple found dead in extremely hot house

Until cause of death is determined, Jose and Maria Vasquez's deaths are being investigated as homicides as a precaution, said Beeville Police Chief Kevin Behr.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An 80-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman were found inside a home in the 300 block of S. Harrison in Beeville on Tuesday after family members went to conduct a welfare check.

Beeville Police Department Chief Kevin Behr said Jose and Maria Vasquez were found dead in the front room of their small house early Tuesday afternoon.

"Some of their immediate family they hadn't heard from them in quite some time," he said. "They came over and discovered the front door open."

Investigators couldn't say for certain whether the deaths were heat-related, but noted how hot it was inside the home when they arrived.

"The female was under the male," he said. "The heat in the interior of the building was extreme."

The front door was open, but after searching the home, Behr said at this point the department doesn't believe the Vasquezes deaths were the result of foul play.

Credit: KIII

Officers believe Jose and Maria Vasquez had been dead for about three or four days, and neighbors confirmed that was the last time they remember seeing them.

The street was blocked by crime tape for hours as investigators spent much of the day going in and out of the home, dressed in protective suits and wearing masks as they try to piece together what happened.

Behr said he requested the Texas Rangers' assistance with the investigation.

'it's just a sad thing," he said. "It truly is."

Autopsies will be done on the bodies to determine their exact cause of death.

Multiskilled journalist Brandon Schaff contributed to this story.

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