LIVINGSTON COUNTY, N.Y. — Letchworth State Park is open again after a search for a murder suspect ended Thursday.
New York State Police told 2 On Your Side that officers were searching for a person of interest connected to a homicide investigation in Irondequoit, who they thought might be in the park. Irondequoit is a suburb of Rochester. Police said the 24-year-old suspect, identified as Andrew Vahey, killed himself when approached by police.
Irondequoit Police and State Police released more information during a Thursday evening news conference.
Irondequoit Police Chief Scott Peters said officers responded around 5:48 a.m. Thursday to 500 Pinegrove Avenue for a report of a hysterical person saying that there was blood everywhere.
Upon arrival, officers entered the home and found a man — 80-year-old Joseph Deponceau — who had been shot and killed just inside the front door. He had been shot once in the upper torso.
The man's girlfriend had called 911, police said, adding that she told officers what happened and provided a description of the suspect. She was not hurt, and police said surveillance cameras on the property confirmed what she had said.
The suspect lived nearby, at 522 Pinegrove Avenue. A perimeter was set up, and police were eventually able to speak with the suspect's roommate.
"He said he just received some texts from his roommate that said he had just killed his grandfather, and was now going to kill himself," Chief Peters said.
After that, police said they had determined that the suspect was in Livingston County. Investigators identified the vehicle the suspect was driving, and New York State Police soon said they had located it inside Letchworth State Park.
A large perimeter was established by a number of county sheriff's departments, New York State Park Police, New York State Police, and the Perry Police Department. Officers started evacuating campers from campgrounds at the park, given how they were unsure of the suspect's location.
Police then started to search for the suspect on foot. When spotted around 12:30 p.m., police said he appeared to be armed with a long gun. He was found along Trail 18 in the park.
"Team members attempted to contact the suspect, but he immediately used the gun to take his own life," Chief Peters said.
Emergency medical aid was provided at the scene, but was unsuccessful, Peters said, adding that the suspect and his grandfather, in recent weeks, had a disagreement over property.