IRONDEQUOIT, NY – A man has been arrested in connection with the harrowing murder of a family of four, igniting fears that more perpetrators are at large in the Upstate New York community.

Julio Cesar Pimentel-Soriano, 34, originally from the Dominican Republic and wanted there for a separate 2019 homicide, has been charged with the killings. Authorities disclosed the tragic incident began unfolding on August 31 when first responders were summoned to a house fire at 329 Knapp Avenue at about 5:23 a.m. They discovered the victims in the basement, Irondequoit Police Chief Scott Peters revealed during a press conference.

The four victims identified were Marangely Moreno-Santiago, 26, Fraime Ubaldo, 30, and their children, Evangeline Ubaldo-Moreno, 4, and Sebastian Ubaldo-Moreno, 2. The investigation at the crime scene took nearly two days to process, largely due to its complex nature and the necessity to notify out-of-state family members.

On September 7, authorities apprehended Pimentel-Soriano. Documents suggest that he fatally stabbed the victims in their necks and chests. Investigators are still trying to uncover a motive and believe additional suspects may be involved. The case has been moved to a grand jury.

According to officials, Pimentel-Soriano entered the United States via Puerto Rico without proper documentation and acquired fraudulent identification to travel to mainland New York. Monroe County Assistant District Attorney Perry Duckles indicated that the attack did not appear to be random, noting that Pimentel-Soriano has used the alias Rafael Jose Vargas and has known connections in the Rochester area.

The Irondequoit Police Department has urged anyone with information to come forward, providing both direct and anonymous channels for tips.

In response to the tragedy, community members have rallied to support the surviving family with a GoFundMe campaign. Local resident Samuel Rivera, a 26-year neighbor of the family, recalled their friendliness and the joyful innocence of their children. “It’s two little children. They don’t know nothing. All they know what to do is play,” Rivera told reporters, expressing his disbelief and sorrow over the deaths.

Fraime Ubaldo’s close friend, Tim Luckey, shared his grief, unable to fathom the violent end of a family he knew and loved. “Just having a hard time believing that this great kid that I knew and loved — for that matter, him and his family — being killed this way, was just unacceptable,” he said.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities seek justice for the family and closure for the shaken community.