NORTH ROYALTON, OH — Three adults were found dead inside a home in North Royalton after police responded to a report of an “unwanted guest” at the address, according to local authorities. The deaths were discovered Tuesday night in the suburb about 21 miles south of Cleveland.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the three people on Wednesday as Emilia Ciortan, Sorin Ciortan and Stefan Pascu. Officials said all three were 71 years old. Police have not said how they died, and investigators were still sorting out the relationship among the three people.
Police entered after neighbors reported a disturbance at the house
The North Royalton Police Department said officers were sent to the home just before 8 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a call about an unwanted guest. Neighbors had also reported hearing a commotion at the house, according to authorities.
When officers went inside, they found two people dead, police said in a statement. After that discovery, officers pulled back from the residence and requested additional help.
Police said they noticed a vehicle in the driveway that they believed belonged to the person they were initially called to check on. That prompted a larger response before the scene was secured.
A SWAT team later found a third body inside
After officers retreated, a SWAT team entered the house and found a third body, police said. Authorities have not released any details about what happened inside the home before officers arrived, or what may have led to the deaths.
The North Royalton Police Department said the situation was secure after the response and that there was no threat to public safety. Officials did not say whether anyone else was inside the home or whether any weapon was recovered.
Medical examiner identifies Emilia Ciortan Sorin Ciortan and Stefan Pascu
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office released the names of the three dead adults on Wednesday morning. The office said the victims were Emilia Ciortan, Sorin Ciortan and Stefan Pascu, and each was 71.
Police said Pascu is suspected of being the unwanted guest officers were originally called to investigate. Beyond that, officials have not publicly explained the connection between the three people or why police were summoned to the home in the first place.
Broken windows and a damaged front door were visible outside
Video taken by ABC affiliate WEWS in Cleveland showed what appeared to be broken windows at the front of the house and a front door knocked off its hinges. The footage offered a glimpse of the damage outside the home as investigators worked at the scene.
Authorities have not said whether the damage was caused before police arrived, during the response, or at another point. They also have not provided any information about the condition of the interior beyond the discovery of the three bodies.
Investigators have not said what caused the deaths
The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear. Police have not released any information on the cause or manner of death, and the medical examiner’s office had not publicly announced those findings in the information provided Wednesday.
For now, investigators are focused on determining what happened inside the North Royalton home and how the three 71-year-olds were connected. Officials have said the scene is secure, but the case remains under investigation.
