Terri Sanginiti and robin brown

The News Journal

Police have identified a man and woman who were found dead Wednesday night outside a dance studio at Maryland and Winston avenues in the Elmhurst neighborhood near Wilmington, New Castle County police said.

Cpl. Jacob Andrews said Ana E. Bedolla-Oseguera, 33, and Alejandro Lopez-Vazquez, 33, of the 1100 block of Rodman St., were killed just before 10 p.m. Police said they did not know the relationship between the two victims at this time. It was unclear if they lived together. Andrews said detectives are trying to determine if the incident was domestic in nature. He did say no gunshots were fired during the incident.

The Medical Examiner will make a determination on the cause of death, Andrews said. Andrews said the investigation is ongoing, but detectives are not looking for additional suspects at this time.

Danny Morgan, who lives on Winston Avenue a few doors down from where the incident occurred, said this morning that he had just gotten out of the shower last night when he heard 3 shots ring out - however, police have said this evening that no gunshots were fired. Morgan said he quickly dressed and ran out of the house. By that time, police were arriving and cordoned off the area.

"As I was walking out the door, a cop stopped me," he said. "Whatever it was, it happened quick."

Outside the dance studio Thursday morning, curious neighborhood residents walked by looking at the scene. Three women, who said they took lessons at the dance studio, were waiting for the business to open at 10 a.m., and when no one showed up, they left.

A Richardson Park resident who identified himself only as George said he was walking home from work on Maryland Avenue about 10 p.m. when he turned the corner of Winston Avenue to find the street cordoned off. As he looked up the street, he could see a man's body lying on the ground outside a business with his head facing the wrought iron railing.

He said the business, which he described as an aerobics/dance studio that caters to Hispanics, was still open. He noticed one of the doors was also open on a vehicle parked nearby.

Police said they were called at 9:44 p.m. to investigate a dispute and arrived to find the two bodies together at the bottom of the steps leading up to the dance studio's door.

The two were pronounced dead at the scene shortly before midnight, police spokesman Cpl. Jacob Andrews said. A gun was found on the upper step above where their bodies were found.

Officers flooded the area and cordoned off the scene.

Within the Elmhurst neighborhood, onlookers Wednesday night could see the two bodies, illuminated by the light streaming from the front window of the dance studio.

The bodies were on the ground by a GMC Yukon SUV parked in front of 3 Winston Ave. – less than half a mile south of the Elsmere town line and just off Maryland Avenue – connected to a dental office on the corner opposite the convenience store.

Neighbors said the business had been opened about six months and was rented for various uses including aerobics classes and a dance club.

In the parking lot of the Quick Mart across the street, state troopers shined flashlights on a single shell casing on the blacktop next to another SUV, a GMC Envoy which had both its front doors open.

Neighbors, gathered in clusters along several points of the yellow crime scene tape, said they saw and heard nothing.

Inside, police talked to several people, including four who stood in front of the convenience store.

At the Quick Mart convenience store Thursday morning, employee Jack Patel said he had closed for the night at 9 p.m. and left shortly before the gunfire erupted.

"I've been here 4-5 years and nothing like this has happened before," he said.

Police ask anyone with information to call (302) 395-8110, give tips at www.nccpd.com or send texts to 847411 (TIP411), starting the message with NCCPD.

Tips also may be submitted anonymously through Delaware Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards, at (800) TIP-3333 or www.tipsubmit.com.

Contact Terri Sanginiti at (302) 324-2771 or tsanginiti@delawareonline.com.

Contact robin brown at (302) 324-2856 or rbrown@delawareonline.com. Find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @rbrowndelaware.