Police arrested a man for allegedly murdering two people and two dogs in South Philadelphia.
On Tuesday the bodies of 78-year-old Eugene C. Zappacosta and Janet Burgess, 50, were found wrapped in blankets in an apartment on the 1300 block of Dickinson Street, according to police.
It appeared they were stabbed and their throats were slit, cops said.
Police believe Burgess was sexually assaulted but say they won't know for sure until an autopsy is complete.
Two dogs were also found stabbed to death inside the apartment.
Investigators say Omar Johnson, 31 was inside the apartment at the time of the murders. Police say he knew Burgess and the two got into an argument which quickly escalated, according to investigators.
"They got into some type of argument which escalated into a physical confrontation," said Captain James Clark of the Philadelphia Police. "With that he pulled out a knife and stabbed her to death. The older man started to walk over and try to help her and he was then stabbed to death. The dogs were making a lot of noise and he didn't want the neighbors to hear so unfortunately he killed the dogs as well."
Police say Johnson then tried to cover up the murders by turning on a gas stove to start a fire in the third-floor apartment.
Witnesses say they called police to report a gas smell in the neighborhood.
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The property's landlord was investigating the gas smell when he discovered the bodies. Zappacosta was found in a bathroom while Burgess was discovered in the living room, cops said.
Johnson was found in South Philadelphia on Friday around 11:30 p.m. by both police and U.S. Marshalls. Investigators say Johnson tried to resist arrest but was eventually taken into custody. No word yet on the specific charges against him.
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